UPDATED Oct. 4 at 12:15 p.m..

ATLANTA — Trade ministers and negotiating teams have focussed on a few difficult issues in their Atlanta meetings:

automotive rules of origin;

market access for dairy

data protection for biologic pharmaceuticals.

The other 27 chapters – all important, but considerably less contentious — appear to have been put to bed. These together reflect a substantial achievement. But they will mean nothing until the final package is agreed.

Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed – and there are still vexing issues remaining.

Biologic patent protection – and data protection – is important to many countries because these protections dictate the time generic producers will need to wait to bring their less-expensive versions to the market. There are implications for pharmacare programs (and taxpayers) and for citizens who need treatments. Significant delays in access to generics will be a tough sell for many governments.

Chile and Peru have drawn a line in the sand at five years. U.S. knowledge/research-based pharma companies will be unhappy with anything less than 12 years. Their supporters in Congress will resist anything much lower than this.

Reducing data protection on biologics to eight years and excluding tobacco from U.S. rights under the TPP were brave moves by US Trade Representative Michael Froman. Calculated risks which may still cause problems for the deal.

Where do the Ministers go with the U.S.-Australia compromise – which is neither admitted to publicly nor confirmed? Will Chile and Peru come on board? If they do not, are they to be excluded from the TPP?

Exclusion would be very highhanded – and would send entirely the wrong signals. All participants have domestic politics to contend with, and all participants have healthcare issues and citizens concerned about the rising cost of medicines.

This is not a question of tariffs on corn or mobile phones. It goes to the basic human right of access to affordable health care. Canada is already in the eight-year proposed landing zone on this one.

Australian Trade Minister Andrew Robb said getting to a acceptable solution will still require political will. Indeed it will – and for some, the cost may end up being too high.

Stay tuned …

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Australia and the U.S. appear to have reached a compromise on biologics, clearing the way for the Trans-Pacific Partnership to become reality.

Sources advise that negotiators and trade ministers worked through the night in an effort to tie up loose ends in order to be able to announce a deal later today. Word out of the negotiations is that today’s announcement, if it happens, will be broad results only. The details, where the Devil lurks, will be a long time coming.

Japan’s TPP Minister Akira Amari has been the main driving force to finalize the negotiations.

Chile, New Zealand and Peru were unwilling to accept a deal on biologics with anything longer than five years. As this reported agreement will delay the introduction of generic medicines in these countries, the decision to support is not an easy one.

Pressure on the 12 member countries to accept the deal is mounting, and securing approval over the weekend is not easy. Those who cannot accept will not be able to sign on today. It remains to be seen how they will be accommodated.

Canada’s drug patent system does not need to change. Dairy negotiators have been told to wrap up.

Stay tuned…