Big pharma wants to take over Brexit. A leaked note sent to the Times claims that after the Nissan deal big business is planning "to point a gun to the government's head" to get what they want, and pharma is top of the list. We can't let that happen!
Private health lobbyists see the Government's drive towards NHS privatisation and uncertainty around leaving the EU as an opportunity to ramp up their profits. The Government is making it easy, with high profile MPs sympathetic to big pharma's Brexit plans.
Worst of all, the three Brexit Ministers already have financial links to private health:
- David Davis, Secretary of State for Leaving the EU, has received thousands of pounds for speaking at private health conferences.
- Liam Fox, Secretary of State for International Trade, owned a major stake in a health firm, and a number of his assistants went on to work for private pharma groups.
- Boris
Johnson, Foreign Secretary, put forward plans for a £10 billion taxpayer backed
biotech fund whilst Mayor of London.
In 2014
it was reported that companies tied to the Conservative Party had won £1.5
billion worth of NHS contracts - is anyone surprised?
We need to put the brakes on this now. These private firms must not be allowed to influence Brexit.
Theresa May - ban private health lobbyists from Brexit talks
It isn't only Government Ministers. Dozens of MPs have either worked for or taken money from private health companies, and half of private firms lobbying for NHS privatisation are linked to the Conservative Party.
After
Brexit, companies
are looking for deregulation of standards across the board. This
could lead to scandals like we've seen elsewhere, where crucial drug prices go
through the roof and waste from drugs factories leads to huge pollution.
Whatever happens with Brexit we can't let it be an excuse for lower healthcare standards or mass privatisation of our NHS. Hundreds of thousands of SumOfUs members have come together over the years to successfully defend our health service by exposing hidden deals, demanding the 'success regime' is scrapped, and calling for an end to the sale of medical records.
The Prime Minister needs to know that we are watching and we won't let big pharma take over Brexit negotiations. They must be banned from lobbying Ministers.
Sign
the petition - tell Theresa May she must end private health lobbying on Brexit
More information
The Guardian. 15 November 2016.
Financial Times (Paywall) . 21 October 2016.