Report Launch “Trading up for health”
On by Tess Woolfenden
Demanding health and human rights in post-Brexit trade deals
Today we launch a new report calling on the UK government to put health and human rights first as they work to develop their own trade policies for a post-Brexit Britain.
Entitled “Trading up for health: How to prevent trade deals from undermining health”, the new report details the irreparable damage post-Brexit trade deals could have on the health of UK citizens and of others around the world.
These deals pose serious risks to health with outcomes such as opening up the NHS to further privatisation, driving up the costs of medicines or undermining the UK governments’ ability to introduce policies that protect our health, such as laws to inhibit smoking.
Outcomes like this can be seen countless times in countries around the world as the provisions common in trade deals allow corporate gains to be prioritised over the health of citizens.
But this is not inevitable. It is possible to have trade deals that put the health and well-being of citizens first. In order to ensure that post-Brexit trade deals prioritise our right to health, we call on the UK government to:
– Ensure companies are not allowed to sue the UK for improvements to health care
– Ensure provisions in trade deals do not drive up the cost of medicines
– Exclude public services from trade deals
– Ensure governments keep the ability to set standards in health care and ensure health care is available to all.
With your help we can make sure the UK government listens to our demands and fights for a better health system for all us.
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Read the report
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The report has been produced jointly by eight health and trade organisations: Health Poverty Action, Trade Justice Movement, Global Justice Now, STOP AIDS, People’s Health Movement UK, War on Want, UNEM and Unison.
Photo: Presidencia El Salvador/Flickr