July 17, 2014

Stanton A. Glantz, PhD

New paper: Health Preemption Behind Closed Doors: Trade Agreements and Fast-Track Authority

Eric Crosbie, Mariaelena Gonzalez, and I just published a paper in American Journal of Public Health, "Health Preemption Behind Closed Doors: Trade Agreements and Fast-Track Authority," that describes how trade agreements such at the Trans Pacific Parnership, which are being negotiated in secret, can have the effect of preempting a wide range of health and safety laws, notably tobacco control policies, which are adopted at all levels of government.
 
Here is the abstract:
 
Noncommunicable diseases result from consuming unhealthy products, including tobacco, which are promoted by transnational corporations. The tobacco industry uses preemption to block or reverse tobacco control policies. Preemption removes authority from jurisdictions where tobacco companies’ influence is weak and transfers it to jurisdictions where they have an advantage. International trade agreements relocate decisions about tobacco control policy to venues where there is little opportunity for public scrutiny, participation, and debate. Tobacco companies are using these agreements to preempt domestic authority over tobacco policy. Other transnational corporations that profit by promoting unhealthy foods could do the same. “Fast-track authority,” in which Congress cedes ongoing oversight authority to the President, further distances the public from the debate. With international agreements binding governments to prioritize trade over health,  transparency and public oversight of the trade negotiation process is necessary to safeguard public health interests. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print July 17, 2014: e1–e7. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2014. 302014)
 
The full paper is available here.  (If people want indiviual copies and cannot obtain them from the AJPH website for free, email me.)

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