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The US often talks about wanting free markets: but it uses some pretty big sticks too negotiate with and has some fairly hefty demands to get value for the US.
by robocat 2y ago
The US often talks about wanting free markets: but it uses some pretty big sticks too negotiate with and has some fairly hefty demands to get value for the US. The Trans Pacific agreement was pretty ugly as a New Zealander. In particular was the 'Disney' copyright extensions. The US uses it's economic power to increase is economic power, while inviting other countries to sell their low value farming goods cheaply to the US.
And it's not like they are respecting the intention of NAFTA - what's an agreement worth if the US can unilaterally decide to hack around their agreements.
- FireBeyond 2y agoThe only reason that prescription meds are advertised in New Zealand (US and NZ are the only countries in the world that allow direct to consumer pharma marketing) was because the US strong-armed it into a trade agreement.
- robocat 2y agoWow - I always wondered why our good lefty country had those. Personally I find those adverts disgusting even though I'm business friendly and respect some of the outputs of pharma.
- brutal_chaos_ 2y agoCan you cite this claim?
- defrost 2y agoAccording to two medical professionals from the Department of Public Health and General Practice, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand and writing in theBMJ Industry funded patient information and the slippery slope to New Zealand https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2001072/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2001072/ In New Zealand and the US, the only two developed countries that allow direct to consumer advertising of prescription medicines, opposition has grown steadily from both the public and doctors. New Zealand's health system is much closer to those in Europe than the US system. So what can we learn from its experience? Rise of advertising Unlike most other developed countries, New Zealand never enacted pre-emptive legislation to prevent direct to consumer advertising. The adverts started appearing in the early 1990s, and steadily increased. But the US Food and Drugs Administration relaxation of regulatory requirements for broadcast advertising in 1997, unleashed an explosion in both the US and New Zealand. Last year drug companies spent over $5bn (£2.5bn; €3.6bn) on direct to consumer advertising in the US and tens of millions of dollars in New Zealand. It was as much absence of barriers to entry as it was a strong armed entry.
- FireBeyond 2y agoI definitely misremembered, then. But looking now I'm also seeing "due to heavy lobbying by the pharma industry, including the US pharmaceutical companies" as to why it hasn't been shut down. But I stand corrected.
- defrost 2y agoNo drama, I honestly had no idea, it was thanks to your comment that I looked it up at all. It sparked curiousity. Now I'm thankful Australia had laws in place ahead of any pharma drama.
- Aloisius 2y agoThe US doesn't have a trade agreement with NZ.
- paulddraper 2y agoThough that is decidedly a pro-free market philosophy.