Highlighting the costs of CETA on pharmaceutical drugs; Ottawa, Sept. 16/12.
Paris-based Agence France Presse reports, “A proposal to extend drug patents in Canada as part of a free trade pact being negotiated with the European Union provoked a backlash this week over fears it would push up health care costs. …Extending drug patents is supported by the European Union, but has been denounced by the Council of Canadians and the Canadian Health Coalition, which urged Ottawa to take drug issues off the negotiating table. The two non-governmental agencies released a poll conducted by Ipsos Reid that shows high support for a Canada-EU free trade deal were it not for the issue of pharmaceutical drug costs. It said 69 percent of Canadians are opposed to a deal that would lengthen patent protections for brand name drugs. The agencies also cited a 2011 University of Toronto study that found lengthening patent terms for drugs in Canada would increase the cost of public and private drug plans in Canada by at least Can$2.8 billion. The extra costs come from delaying the introduction of cheaper generic drugs by 3.5 years.”
