"Trade creep" and implications of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement for the United Kingdom National Health Service

Meri Koivusalo, Jonathan Tritter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The ambitious and comprehensive Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement (TTIP/TAFTA) agreement between the European Union and United States is now being negotiated and may have far-reaching consequences for health services. The agreement extends to government procurement, investment, and further regulatory cooperation. In this article, we focus on the United Kingdom National Health Service and how these negotiations can limit policy space to change policies and to regulate in relation to health services, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and health industries. The negotiation of TTIP/TAFTA has the potential to "harmonize" more corporate-friendly regulation, resulting in higher costs and loss of policy space, an example of "trade creep" that potentially compromises health equity, public health, and safety concerns across the Atlantic.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)93-111
Number of pages19
JournalInternational Journal of Health Services
Volume44
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 Jan 2014

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of '"Trade creep" and implications of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement for the United Kingdom National Health Service'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this