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COVID-19, trade, and health: this changes everything? Comment on "What generates attention to health in trade policy-making? Lessons from success in tobacco control and access to medicines: a qualitative study of Australia and the (comprehensive and progressive) Trans-Pacific Partnership"

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  • Barlow, Pepita

Abstract

Townsend and colleagues highlighted the myriad political forces which fostered attention to health issues during negotiations to establish a new trans-pacific trade deal in Australia (the CP-TPP [Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership], formerly known as TPP). Among the factors they identify, exporter interests and exogenous events helped to generate attention to trade-related concerns about tobacco and access medicines, and limited attention to nutrition and alcohol. These are important considerations as the United Kingdom negotiates a trade deal with the United States in haste, whilst at the same time attempting to manage the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this commentary, I reflect on changing attention to trade and nutrition during the COVID-19 pandemic in light of Townsend and colleagues’ analysis. I explore scope for greater attention to nutrition in US-UK trade negotiations, and the challenges created by the vested interests of major UK and US processed food exporters. I further discuss the utility of the theoretical tools employed by Townsend and colleagues for wider debates in the political economy of health.

Suggested Citation

  • Barlow, Pepita, 2022. "COVID-19, trade, and health: this changes everything? Comment on "What generates attention to health in trade policy-making? Lessons from success in tobacco control and access to medicines: a qua," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121658, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:121658
    as

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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/121658/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Peabody, John W., 1996. "Economic reform and health sector policy: Lessons from structural adjustment programs," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 43(5), pages 823-835, September.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    nutrition; political economy of health; trade liberalisation; United Kingdom; Covid-19; coronavirus;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce

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