[Ip-health] Xinhua: Thai ministry OKs AIDS drug patent license

[Sheila.SHETTLE@geneva.msf.org]

Thai ministry OKs AIDS drug patent license

BEIJING, Dec. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Thailand's public health ministry announced
Wednesday it will issue a compulsory license for a patent held by the Merck
pharmaceutical company for the AIDS treatment drug efavirenz.


=A0=A0=A0=A0Thailand is developing its own generic version of the drug usin=
g the
country's public drug manufacturer, the Government Pharmaceutical
Organization. Production is expected to begin next year, and the compulsory
license will allow the importation of generic efavirenz from India in the
meantime.


=A0=A0=A0=A0International organization M=E9decins Sans Fronti=E8res (Medici=
ne Without
Frontiers) welcomed the decision and urged the government to issue similar
licenses for other essential medicines.


=A0=A0=A0=A0According to MSF's figures, Merck charges almost double what In=
dian
generic companies demand to make the same drug. It also claims that supply
has been inadequate.


=A0=A0=A0=A0However, Merck reduced the price of the drug in developing coun=
tries
earlier this year.


=A0=A0=A0=A0Merck declined to comment on the government announcement.


=A0=A0=A0=A0Efavirenz is marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb in the U.S. and s=
ome
European countries under the brand name Sustiva and in other countries by
Merck under the name Stocrin.


+++++++++++++++++++++
Sheila Shettle
Senior Communications Officer
M=E9decins Sans Fronti=E8res
Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines
Rue de Lausanne 78
1211 Geneva
Switzerland
+ 41.22.849.8403
+ 41.79.293.0270 (m.)
sheila.shettle@geneva.msf.org
www.accessmed-msf.org