Policy Brief 61, May 2019
The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement: Putting Profits Before Patients
By Maria Fabiana Jorge
In the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA, NAFTA 2.0), the U.S. Trade Representative negotiated intellectual property provisions related to pharmaceuticals that would enshrine long and broad monopolies. This policy brief focuses primarily on the negative effects of the USMCA intellectual property provisions on access to medicines in the U.S. Such effects may be even worse for Canada and Mexico. The impact of this trade agreement goes well beyond the three countries involved as this is the first one negotiated by the Trump Administration and is likely to set a precedent for future trade agreements. A careful review of the USMCA text raises very serious concerns about the impact that this agreement would have on the generic/biosimilar industry and therefore on access to more affordable drugs throughout the world.
Download the policy brief below:
The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement: Putting Profits Before Patients
This article was tagged: Access to Medicines, Affordable Medicines, Biosimilars, Bolar, Evergreening, Exclusivity Period, Generic Medicines, Health, Innovation, Intellectual Property, North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Patent, Patent Linkage, Patent Term, Pharmaceuticals, Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), TRIPS, TRIPS-Plus Provisions, US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
