NAFTA/PHARMA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Brand-name drug manufacturers were one of the earliest supporters of the new North American trade deal, but now the industry’s prized provision is in danger of being weakened as President Donald Trump tries to get the agreement through Congress. The NAFTA replacement deal would provide 10 years of market exclusivity for biologic drugs, a new class of medicines developed from living organic molecules, rather than chemicals, that are used to treat numerous serious and life-threatening diseases such as cancer. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the powerful drug lobby known as PhRMA, pushed hard for 12 years of data protection, consistent with U.S. law. But it quickly embraced the 10 years contained in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement as a major improvement, especially in the Mexican market. A lengthy protection period, PhRMA argues, ensures innovation in medicines because it allows companies to recoup research and development costs before the intellectual property used to make the drugs is open to competition.”
–Doug Palmer, “PhRMA urges Trump not to deal away prized USMCA provision,” Politico, October 18, 2019 5:03 am