published letters

Published in the Age on Saturday, September 26, 2015

The Turing Pharmaceuticals case, in which a venture capitalist has bought rights to an old but important drug and massively increased its price (World, 24/9), is an excellent illustration of what awaits us with the US free trade agreement. Pyrimethamine was developed years ago and is cheap to produce. It is a critically important drug for HIV sufferers and those suffering toxoplasmosis, most of whom are unable to afford the bloated price which will be charged.

The case illustrates the ruthlessness of the highly profitable drug industry and the need to have effective safeguards against such behaviour. The provisions restricting the rights of our PBS to protect Australian patients are dangerous, exposing patients and our health budget to the vagaries of litigation in US-based tribunals with a bias towards large corporations.

The secrecy surrounding the negotiations is revealing – the public have no right to information, while corporations and governments have had free access. This deal must be struck down or significantly modified.

Dr Andrew Watkins, Hampton