USTR to Table Full IP Chapter of the Trans Pacific Partnership in June – Drug Industry Lobbies to Repeal 2007 Policy Deal on Access to Medicines

Inside U.S. Trade reports that USTR intends to table a full intellectual property chapter for the TPP by mid June, and that the pharmaceutical industry has been lobbying to reverse the policy deal struck by the Bush Administration and Congressional Democrats on May 10, 2007.  The leaked intellectual property text that has circulated leaves out the controversial provisions covered by the agreement: data exclusivity, patent extensions, and linkage between patent offices and health regulators.  The pharmaceutical industry wants USTR to use the Korea-US FTA language as a template for these provisions in the TPP, while health advocates want the May 10, 2007 Agreement to serve as a starting point for increasing countries’ flexibility in accessing generic medicines.

• Inside US Trade: USTR Plan To Table Full TPP IPR Proposal Spurs Pharmaceutical Lobbying. April 29, 2011.
• USTR description of the Bipartisan Trade Deal reached by USTR and Congressional Democrats. May 10, 2007.
• House Ways and Means Committee description of the trade deal.  May 10, 2007.