Trade: TPP could be harmful to senior citizens

Representatives from 12 countries have wrapped up negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This agreement will impact all Americans but could have devastating results particularly for senior citizens.

The TPP language will likely extend patents exclusively for cancer-treating drugs, increasing the time before less expensive generics become available. TPP could also make it easier for drug companies to extend drug patents by making small changes in the drug formulas, again postponing cheaper generics.

Corporations might even be empowered to use the Investor-State Dispute Settlement to challenge Medicare drug subsidies in international court if the industry can prove the subsidies hurt their profits.

By keeping drug prices high, TPP could undermine access to affordable health care for millions of Americans.

Please contact Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray and Reps. Derek Kilmer, Dave Reichert, Adam Smith and Denny Heck to strongly oppose TPP.

This story was originally published November 23, 2015 at 10:59 AM with the headline "Trade: TPP could be harmful to senior citizens."