Pharmac Under Attack by Pharmaceutical Industry
Wednesday, 3 October 2012, 11:23 am
Press Release: NZNO
MEDIA RELEASE
30 September
Pharmac Under Attack by Pharmaceutical Industry
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) rejects the pharmaceutical industry’s contention that Pharmac will not be affected by the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) currently being negotiated between eleven Asian and Pacific-rim countries including the United States and New Zealand.
Kevin Sheehy, general manager of Medicines New Zealand, dismissed analysis by visiting public health and trade expert Dr Deborah Gleeson that showed there is much in the TPPA that undermines the effectiveness of Pharmac.
Geoff Annals, NZNO chief executive commented on Sheehy’s dismissal saying; “It is not surprising to see the pharmaceutical industry rejecting concerns the TPPA will reduce the effectiveness of Pharmac because Pharmac is very successful in doing what it was set up to do: making medicines more affordable. Pharmac is the national medicines purchasing agency that has achieved the greatest success anywhere in the world in balancing the health interests of people and communities against the business interests of big medicines companies. Pharmac is under attack by the pharmaceutical industry because it is successful and the ‘Pharmac model’ is being adopted by other countries needing a better balance between business and health interests.”
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1210/S00032/pharmac-under-attack-by-pharmaceutical-industry.htm?
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