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”

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.