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Free trade agreement: impact in Thailand
6-Sep-2005
This booklet by FTA Watch is aimed at disseminating information to international civil society for the purpose of sharing the analyses and experience of the FTA struggle in Thailand.
Big Pharma’s free ride
13-Aug-2005 Salon.com
Pharmaceutical companies are using free-trade deals like CAFTA to eliminate global competition — and deny poor patients access to cheaper generic drugs.
’US-Peru FTA could deprive millions of essential drugs’
17-Jul-2005
With many Peruvians already dying from treatable illness due to difficulties in accessing drugs, a UN human rights expert has expressed "deep concern" that an eventual US-Peru Free Trade Agreement (FTA) could deprive millions more of essential drugs made unaffordable by stronger protection of patents.
UN expert concerned US-Peru free trade accord could deprive poor of medicine
16-Jul-2005
With many Peruvians already dying from treatable illness due to difficulties in accessing drugs, a United Nations human rights expert today voiced deep concern that an eventual United States-Peru Free Trade Agreement (FTA) could deprive millions more of essential drugs made unaffordable by stronger protection of patents.
Exporting prices: Drug makers’ trade group makes the industry’s priorities US trade policy
8-Jul-2005 Center for Public Integrity
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, which represents 67 parent companies and subsidiaries that develop and make prescription and over-the-counter drugs, listed contacts with the government’s top officials overseeing international trade agreements on more lobbying reports than it did for contacts with the Food and Drug Administration, which directly oversees the industry’s products.
Thailand-US: AIDS drugs take centre-stage at trade talks
30-Jun-2005 IPS
After tiptoeing around the issue for months, Thailand’s trade negotiators will have to finally reveal where they stand on the life-or-death question of producing cheap, generic anti-AIDS drugs.
TRIPS, bilateralism, multilateralism & implications for developing countries: Jordan’s drug sector
30-Jun-2005
Looking at the experience of Jordan’s pharmaceutical sector, this paper shows that the expected benefits from bilateral agreements between developed and developing countries have been largely overestimated while the costs underestimated.
Thai AIDS activists fear losing cheap drugs in free trade talks with Japan, US
28-Jun-2005 AFP
As Thailand prepares for new rounds of free trade talks with Japan and the United States, AIDS activists are voicing increasing concern that patients here could lose access to cheap, life-prolonging drugs.
US trade rep helps powerful drug industry
28-Jun-2005 Seattle Post Intelligencer
When George W. Bush and the U.S. pharmaceutical industry team up in Washington, you know it’s bad news for U.S. consumers. Now they are taking their show on the road — to Central America.
India set to get access to Bimstec markets
22-Jun-2005
India and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) member countries plan to sign a deal to provide access to each others’ markets for the pharmaceuticals and services sectors.
Health sets out options for FTA talks
21-Jun-2005
After letting health advocates air their opposition to the Thai-US free trade agreement (FTA) for more than a year, the Public Health Ministry yesterday unveiled its position on how Thailand should deal with drug patents.
EFTA-Thailand negotiations: NGOs appeal to UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health
20-Jun-2005
17 NGOs from Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein submitted today a request to the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health. They urge him to warn the four member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) not to restrict access to affordable generic medicines in Thailand.
Doctors told to be wary of big drug firms
17-Jun-2005
Doctors have been warned not to fall into the fierce marketing trap of multinational drug companies which have a ’’hidden agenda’’ to sell expensive products.
United Nations children’s committee warns about FTA threats
7-Jun-2005 IP-health
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in recommendations made public this week warned that Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) may negatively affect access to affordable medicines and social services for the poor.
Zoellick’s visit fails to ease Thai concerns
5-May-2005
Thailand was Robert Zoellick’s first stop on a week-long visit to Southeast Asia to discuss economic, security and political issues.
IT, biotech, pharmaceuticals, agro food are items for enhanced India-EU cooperation
3-May-2005 Assocham
The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India sees tremendous scope for enhancing economic ties with Europe and has mooted a four pronged strategy for expanding India’s trade basket with the enlarged EU in areas such as information technology & communication, biotech & pharmaceuticals, agro foods processing and textiles.
AIDS drugs dog US-Southern Africa trade deal
1-May-2005 Reuters
The United States and the Southern African trade bloc are set to revive free trade talks next month, but analysts say intellectual property rights for urgently needed AIDS drugs remain a stumbling block.
Thailand-US FTA: "Whatever we have to sacrifice must be sacrificed, if that helps get a better deal"
26-Apr-2005 Focus
The third round of Thailand-US free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations ended on 8 April with great disappointment for civil society activists because people’s demand and concerns were cast aside.
AIDS patients see life, death issues in trade pact
23-Apr-2005 LA Times
Public health experts fear that hope might fade for thousands of the region’s chronically ill if the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, known as CAFTA, is approved this year.
Calls for more flexible US position in free trade talks
21-Apr-2005 IPS
During the ninth round of negotiations of a free trade agreement between the United States and three South American nations in the Andean region — Colombia, Peru and Ecuador — Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo called for ”greater flexibility” on the part of Washington.