Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Kristen D. Smith, MPH¹, Ellen R. Shaffer, PhD MPH², and Joseph Brenner, MA². (1) Center for Policy Analysis on Trade and Health (CPATH), 98 Seal Rock Drive, San Francisco, CA 94121-1437, 352-278-2123, kristensmith64@yahoo.com, (2) CPATH, 98 Seal Rock Drive, San Francisco, CA 94121

Older adults rely on public health laws and regulations to protect their right to quality healthcare, medicines, and a healthy living environment. The United States is currently negotiating a wide array of bilateral and multi-nation trade agreements. These agreements have an impact on the laws of the national governments that sign the agreements, and on the laws of the states and local municipalities within those nations. This presentation will provide the results of our analysis of trade agreements' impact on public health, with particular attention to older Americans' right to health. For instance, several states have considered initiatives that would allow health programs to purchase prescription medications from Canada or other foreign countries in order to make costs more affordable for average Americans. However, these initiatives could be rendered illegal by intellectual property provisions in the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement. Provisions within many trade agreements have a disproportionate impact on older adults, affecting access to affordable medications, standards of care in hospital treatment, and licensing standards for health care providers. Both democratic decision-making and the right the health are at risk. Efforts to bring a public health perspective to international trade policy include a formal request from APHA, CPATH and other organizations for representation on the official U.S. trade advisory committees, followed by a lawsuit in December 2005 by public health groups to demand representation. An update on these and other efforts to protect public health and human rights in trade agreements will be presented.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Describe three provisions within international trade agreements that pose a threat to public health programs and regulations.
• 2.List three public health programs or regulations that impact older adults, which may be challenged under international trade policies.
• 3.Explain current efforts to protect the right to health in international trade agreements.

Keywords: Aging, International

Related Web page: www.cpath.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation