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bum ends either way...
Australians could pay more for drugs and medicines, movies, computer games and software, and be placed under surveillance as part of a US-led crackdown on internet piracy, according to details of secret trade negotiations exposed by WikiLeaks.
A leaked draft of a controversial chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement reveals the negotiating positions of 12 countries including Australia on copyright, patents and other intellectual property issues, with a heavy focus on enforcement measures against internet piracy.
Intellectual property experts are critical of the draft treaty, which they say would help the multinational movie and music industries, software companies and pharmaceutical manufacturers to maintain and increase prices by reinforcing the rights of copyright and patent owners, clamping down on online piracy, and raising obstacles to the introduction of generic drugs and medicines.
The leaked treaty text also reveals new US and Japanese proposals designed to enhance the ability of pharmaceutical manufacturers to extend and widen their patents on drugs and medicines.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/australians-may-pay-the-price-in-transpacific-partnership-free-trade-agreement-20131113-2xh0m.html#ixzz2kbUoKLpd
- By Gus Leonisky at 14 Nov 2013 - 5:35pm
- Gus Leonisky's blog
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kick the government bullies in the gonads, bill...
A tumultuous first week of the new Parliament has come to an end with the Government stymied in its bid to raise the debt ceiling and facing mounting pressure over its control of information about asylum seekers.
Reprising a favourite tactic of Tony Abbott while in Opposition, Labor called on a motion to suspend standing orders in the final minutes of the television broadcast of Question Time.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten interrupted questions to condemn Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Immigration Minister Scott Morrison over the Government's clampdown on details about asylum seeker boat arrivals and detention issues.
Mr Shorten told Parliament the Government is "addicted to secrecy" and "hiding behind the military".
"Everything's operational. Everything's to do with the military. Everything's on a boat. Everything is on the water, and he is at sea," he said of Mr Morrison.
Mr Morrison has refused to answer Opposition questions in Parliament this week, invoking his commitment to only address issues publicly at a weekly briefing - due tomorrow - alongside the military commander of Operation Sovereign Borders.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-14/tumultuous-week-in-parliament-ends-with-labor-attack-on-secrecy/5092746
they make a killing from selling you patented pills...
The secret trade deal favouring big drug companies
Posted Tue 26 Nov 2013, 9:08pm AEDT
After years of secret negotiations, WikiLeaks has shone a light on the Trans Pacific Partnership, the proposed regional trade deal between Pacific Rim countries, including Australia. If it goes ahead, it could be a huge win for big pharmaceutical companies but a blow for generic drug makers and public health resources.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-26/the-secret-trade-deal-favouring-big-drug-companies/5118460
pill-racketeer...
Two weeks ago, Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli promised to drop the price of Daraprim, a parasite-fighting drug, after raising it from $13.50 a tablet to $750 a tablet. But so far the price tag hasn't budged.
Shkreli, a former hedge fund manager who acquired Turing in August, first drew criticism after a USA Today article reported the 5,000 percent price hike. He then told ABC News in September that the company would "lower the price of Daraprim to a point that is more affordable and is able to allow the company to make a profit, but a very small profit."
Business Insider writes:
That hasn't happened yet. A 30-day, 30-pill supply of Daraprim would cost me $27,006 at my local pharmacy.
That boils down to about $900 a pill, which includes the wholesale cost, along with specific pharmacy fees based on the zip code I gave the pharmacy.
So while the price of the drug hasn't gotten any higher since Shkreli hiked it 5,000%, it hasn't gotten any lower since he promised to reduce it either. Turing did not respond to Business Insider's request for clarification about this price.
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2015/10/martin-shkreli-still-hasnt-dropp...