17-Jan-2006
Bangkok Post
On the last day of the sixth round of Thai-US Free Trade Area talks, several academics and non-governmental bodies were invited to discuss their concerns with US negotiators on aspects of intellectual property rights, with an emphasis on pharmaceutical and life form patents. For a number of reasons, only one academic showed up.
13-Jan-2006
The network of 11 civil society organisations which showed its opposition to the Thai-US Free Trade Area (FTA) negotiations earlier this week in Chiang Mai Friday reaffirmed its intention to continue protesting the talks.
11-Jan-2006
The Nation
The Thai-US free-trade talks hit a snag yesterday after the head Thai negotiator for intellectual-property rights declared demands by the US for Thailand to tighten up drug patenting as “unacceptable”.
11-Jan-2006
Thai AIDS activists and their international allies are
seeking suspension of scheduled trade talks that threaten to undermine
Thailand’s lawful ability to produce, import/export, and market low-cost
generic versions of life-saving medicines.
10-Jan-2006
Bangkok Post
Thailand should think carefully about surrendering its sovereign rights under the WTO — and access to cheap medicine — in exchange for an FTA with the United States
9-Jan-2006
The Nation
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Monday shot down a proposal for Parliament to debate free trade agreements (FTAs), including a draft being negotiated between Thailand and the United States. "I see no justification for legislative debate on FTAs as Parliament does not have qualified personnel to scrutinise the matter," he said.
9-Jan-2006
The Nation
Rallies against free-trade talks between Thai and US officials today are set to draw a record number of protesters. Here are the reasons for this given by some planning to attend the protests.
7-Jan-2006
MCOT
Civil society sector is demanding that the Thai government not give in on reduction of tariffs for US agricultural product, not ratify the treaty on plant varieties protection, and not recognise patenting of biological resources. In addition, they said the Thai government must resist the US demand to extend protection of pharmaceutical patent to more than 20 years or to protect data exclusivity.
6-Jan-2006
Opponents of the Australia-US free trade agreement are nothing if not obstinate - and opportunist. A year after the deal was done the world has not ended, but they still say catastrophe is imminent, especially for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
6-Jan-2006
The Labor Party’s 2004 amendments to the legislation enabling the free trade agreement with the US have nothing to do with good policy and everything to do with good politics.
6-Jan-2006
An official from Thailand’s bilateral Free Trade Agreement negotiating team today disputed claims by opposition groups that a free trade agreement with the US would adversely affect the country’s prescription drug market.
6-Jan-2006
Manager
The heated debate over intellectual property is one of the sticking points in the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between Thailand and the United States, which are scheduled to resume next week.
6-Jan-2006
PhRMA
PhRMA believes that a strong FTA is in the interests of Egyptian patients
as well as the business community.
4-Jan-2006
ABC
The debate over the cost of medicines in Australia took a new twist today, with Acting Prime Minister Mark Vaile declaring the Government will have a second look at provisions within the Free Trade Agreement with the United States. They’re provisions that were specifically designed to keep the cost of pharmaceuticals down.
3-Jan-2006
ABC
The Federal Opposition is warning the cost of medicines will rise if a Labor amendment designed to protect Australian drug prices in the US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is removed.
2-Jan-2006
Some observers believe that certain FTA provisions may lock the United
States into current intellectual property policies, inhibiting opportunities for future
reform. Others are concerned that under existing multilateral
agreements, the intellectual
property obligations found within one FTA may extend beyond that particular treaty
partner. Some perceive FTAs to be an inappropriate and unfair
vehicle for international intellectual property reforms due to the strong bargaining
position of the United States.
18-Dec-2005
NGOs call upon WTO Members and their trade negotiators
to protect the public from the explosion of one-sided and harmful
regional and bilateral trade agreements that impose TRIPS plus
obligations on developing countries that undermine access to
medicine.
16-Dec-2005
Ip-health
Tonga acceded to the WTO yesterday and one of the conditions of it being
allowed to join the WTO was to have TRIPS+ linkage of patent status and data
exclusivity.
16-Dec-2005
USCCB
The chairman of the bishops’ International Policy Committee Monday offered a Catholic perspective on a pending free trade agreement, suggesting that the United States and several Andean nations could simultaneously promote human dignity and fair and sustainable development.
12-Dec-2005
Aids patients are unlikely to gain access to cheaper drugs after the free trade agreement between Thailand and the United States is signed, as the planned Thai-US FTA is likely to protect only American patented drugs.
