So POTUS says he doesnt want to buy NHS, & PM doesnt want to sell it...President then denied ever having an interest, which is not what he said earlier in the year...
So what is going on here?
“For sale” doesnt really have a definition for starters..
So what is going on here?
“For sale” doesnt really have a definition for starters..
UK medicines pricing clearly on US side of table...
This video from January is US Pharma industry lobby telling US trade negotiators that US-UK trade deal is “an important opportunity” to deal with “artificially depressed prices” in UK - “dictated” via our “primary payer” system
This video from January is US Pharma industry lobby telling US trade negotiators that US-UK trade deal is “an important opportunity” to deal with “artificially depressed prices” in UK - “dictated” via our “primary payer” system
Source: this is the US Trade Representatives video (viewed by 131 people (!)) of its own consultation with US industry on objectives for a US-UK trade deal... the person above is Brian Toohey from @PhRMA you can watch it in full here: /2
here is transcript - notice words highlighted - these then become, almost word for word the official US objectives (also below) on pharma for US-UK trade deal, a few weeks later - but the transcript helps us understand what that means in practice... “market derived pricing” /3 
“consistent with TPA” is ref to Trade Promotion Authority - Congressional fast track trade powers.. again echoes/ elaborates same language -ie in deals US negotiators must seek “elimination of price control & reference pricing which denies full market access for US products” /4
Additionally US Pharma industry rep is then specifically asked by a US Government official what commitments the industry would want in a US-UK trade deal...
“KORUS [Korea-US] agreement on market access.. are a very, very strong baseline for market access in US-UK agreement” /5
“KORUS [Korea-US] agreement on market access.. are a very, very strong baseline for market access in US-UK agreement” /5
significance of Korea-US? US Pharma industry got “groundbreaking provisions” changing way Korea assessed drugs prices ...Korea then didnt fully implement, until Trump/team obliged Korea to change “premium pricing policy” so as to apply to US innovations too /6 HT @SamuelMarcLowe
So what does this show? That US pharma industry & US Congress and US Trade negotiators have clear strategic and binding aims to raise prices paid to US drugs companies by the NHS as part of the deal. I can’t see that Trump has or could reject this, also NICE is not part of NHS /7
But Conservative manifesto promises p11: “The price the NHS pay for drugs will not be on the table”.
Certainly is from US perspective, & published negotiating objectives.
UK negotiators (from May Conservative Govt) did not rule out in same way as US ruled out climate change
Certainly is from US perspective, & published negotiating objectives.
UK negotiators (from May Conservative Govt) did not rule out in same way as US ruled out climate change
But also I can’t see how that could possibly lead to the £500m a week claim from Labour - Korea, for example, resisted for some time the changes sought to its pricing regime even after signing it. In the event even that was about a 10% increase for innovative drugs /9
All said though - remarkable lack of detail about what actually would be prioritised in US-UK trade deal. Other democracies have v strong independent legislators representing local sectoral interests, in a way our MP system doesnt. Trade creates winners and losers. Debate missing
full Con manifesto extract on trade - another interesting paragraph: “We will drive a hard bargain and we will be prepared to walk away”...PM said this too. He renegotiated Brexit deal to create freedom to do US deal -wd he really walk away if US insisted including drugs pricing?
Some ministers doubtful there will ever be a US deal, because, yes, PM would walk away.
But on promise on NHS & “price it pays for drugs” not on table. It’s listed as a “principle”.. “we will follow” in trade talks... some wiggle room, not much, on what happens in practice.
But on promise on NHS & “price it pays for drugs” not on table. It’s listed as a “principle”.. “we will follow” in trade talks... some wiggle room, not much, on what happens in practice.
