On World Cancer Day, the fatal greed of Big Pharma was spotlighted
in unexpected ways. Smirking "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli, who had
unapologetically jacked up medicine prices from $13.50 to $750 per
tablet, invoked his right against self-incrimination when hauled before
Congress in a fraud investigation.
Meanwhile, two cancer patients; Zahara Heckscher and Hannah Lyon,
were arrested at the headquarters of the Pharma lobby protesting another
unconscionable act of Pharma greed: the 'death sentence' clauses the
industry pushed into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The TPP would be "worst-ever trade agreement for access to medicines." If passed, the TPP would lock in policies
that not only allow price gouging, but essentially require all
TPP-signatory governments to provide monopoly rights allowing drug
companies to charge whatever they want. This would block access to
essential life-saving medicines for many people with cancer.
About one out of eight women in this country will get breast cancer.
Members of Congress should look their wives, mothers, sisters, daughters
and granddaughters in the eye.
Then they should vote against the TPP.
No comments:
Post a Comment