Restore Public Trust had demanded the removal of this provision from the trade deal, organized petition drive and digital advertising in the home stretch of negotiations  

WASHINGTON – Today, Restore Public Trust Director Lizzy Price released the following statement on the news that following pressure from Restore Public Trust and others, the provision protecting the pharmaceutical industry from generic competition for ten years had been removed from the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA).

“Big Pharma looks for giveaways paid for by American consumers and taxpayers at every turn, but the American people were granted a small reprieve when the pharmaceutical industry’s sweetheart deal in the trade agreement was removed following public pressure and accountability. This is a victory for patients and families, but drug prices are still way too high and lawmakers need to push Big Pharma’s lobbyists aside to actually address the larger problem.

“We fully expect the pharmaceutical industry lobbyists to keep working to protect Big Pharma profits, but we are going to keep holding this administration accountable to deliver on the promises they’ve made to reduce the price of prescription drugs. 

“The Trump administration must listen to the American people and stand with the House of Representatives in their efforts to reduce the price of prescription drugs for patients and families.” 

As negotiations reached their final stages, Restore Public Trust called on the White House and Congress to remove the pharmaceutical industry’s sweetheart deal from the trade deal and announced a digital ad campaign on this critical issue.

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