MP disputes indie analysis of TPP, insists prices of drugs will rise

December 15, 2015    Source : The Malay Mail Online

PETALING JAYA, Dec 15 — Two independent cost-benefit analyses of Malaysia’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) failed to disprove fears that generic medicines will become more expensive if the country joins the deal, a DAP lawmaker asserted today.  

DAP MP Charles Santiago insisted that the studies by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) and PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) only said that Malaysia will be allowed "timely access" to the medicines and neglected to mention their affordability.

"This simply means that medicines both, generic and biologic, will be made available, but whether or not the prices will go up, it did not say. However, price of drugs is surely to go up because of exclusivity rights given to pharmaceutical companies," the Klang MP told a news conference.