Key must guarantee PHARMAC

John Key must stop fudging questions about Pharmac and tell the New Zealand public just what is at stake in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.

When asked what sort of concessions New Zealand would have to make in regard to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks John Key refused to rule out making changes to Pharmac, which bulk-buys generic medicines.

“The United States pharmaceutical industry wants to change the way New Zealand buys our medicines,” said Dr Norman.

“The impact of any concessions in this area could have far reaching effects on our health budget.

“To get this deal, New Zealand will likely have to give up far more in concessions than it has ever been asked to before.

“New Zealand free trade champions are willing to talk about the alleged benefits of this mostly secret deal,” Dr Norman said.

“It is time now the Government stopped fudging questions when faced with the negative consequences and released the text of this document.

“New Zealander’s deserve to know how much the TPP could be adding to their prescription charges.”

“And given how high dairy prices have gone, you’d have to ask what gain there is for Fonterra in opening up the US market?”