BLOG - Pacific Rim Treaty threatens public health: patent law and medical procedures

Doctors, surgeons, and physicians around the Pacific Rim should be concerned by the proposals revealed by WikiLeaks in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). One of the most controversial features of the TPP is the proposal to provide for patent protection in respect of medical procedures. As Public Citizen observed, Health providers, including surgeons, could be liable for the methods they use to treat patients. The civil society group noted: Essentially, except for when a surgeon uses her bare hands, surgical methods would be patentable under the U.S. proposal.