[Ip-health] MSF Welcomes Move to Overcome Patent on AIDS Drug in Thailand

[Sheila.SHETTLE@geneva.msf.org]

MSF Welcomes Move to Overcome Patent on AIDS Drug in Thailand=0D
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Thailand today for the first time announced it will issue a compulsory=0D
licence for use by the government to improve access to a key HIV/AIDS=0D
medicine, efavirenz.  The international medical humanitarian organisation=
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M=C3=A9decins Sans Fronti=C3=A8res (MSF) welcomes this important move and u=
rges the=0D
government to issue such licenses for the production of other essential=0D
medicines.=0D
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The drug efavirenz, which is recommended by WHO for HIV/AIDS treatment, is=
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currently patent protected in Thailand, and the monopolistic situation has=
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affected both supply and affordability in the country.  The price the=0D
patent holder Merck charges in Thailand (1,500 baht/month =E2=80=93 US $41)=
 is=0D
double of what Indian generic manufacturers charge for the drug (800=0D
baht/month =E2=80=93 US $22).  In addition, on several occasions, Merck has=
 been=0D
unable to supply the drug in Thailand.=0D
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=E2=80=9CMerck=E2=80=99s supply of efavirenz has not been reliable, and has=
 resulted in=0D
treatment interruptions, forcing several hospitals to supply suboptimal=0D
dual therapy,=E2=80=9D said Dr. David Wilson of MSF in Thailand.=0D
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The compulsory license will apply both to import and local production of=0D
the drug. Thailand is developing its own generic production capacity for=0D
efavirenz through the country=E2=80=99s public drug manufacturer, the Gover=
nment=0D
Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO). Production in Thailand of efavirenz is=
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expected to begin next year.  In the meantime, the compulsory licence will=
=0D
allow Thailand to import generic efavirenz from India, halving the costs=0D
for this drug and expanding procurement options to ensure sustainable drug=
=0D
supply.=0D
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It is estimated that at least 12,000 people in Thailand currently need=0D
efavirenz, but that due to cost and supply difficulties, the number=0D
receiving the drug is significantly lower.=0D
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Generic production is the cornerstone of Thailand=E2=80=99s universal HIV/A=
IDS=0D
treatment programme. Before generic production, the cost of standard=0D
HIV/AIDS treatment in Thailand was over 33,330 baht per patient per month=
=0D
(US $924), and only 3,000 people were getting treatment. In 2002, Thailand=
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launched a generic version of HIV/AIDS triple therapy, resulting in an=0D
18-fold drop in the cost of treatment. Thanks to this, over 85,000 people=
=0D
with HIV/AIDS are today receiving treatment.  UNAIDS reports that Thailand=
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is the only Southeast Asian country to have over half the number of people=
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on AIDS treatment who need it.=0D
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Both the World Health Organization (in August, 2005) and the World Bank (in=
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August, 2006) have predicted dramatically rising drug costs in Thailand due=
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to the fact that patients need to switch to newer and more expensive drugs=
=0D
in cases of resistance and toxicity.  Both organisations recommend the use=
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of public health safeguards enshrined in the Doha Declaration on TRIPS* and=
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Public Health.=0D
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=E2=80=9CThailand is demonstrating that the lives of patients have to come =
before=0D
the patents of drug companies, and this policy needs to be expanded to=0D
essential drugs that are expensive and in short supply, such as the AIDS=0D
drug lopinavir/ritonavir, which currently costs over 7,000 baht a month (US=
=0D
$194) and is far too expensive for Thailand,=E2=80=9D said Dr. Wilson.=0D
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*World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of=0D
Intellectual Property Rights=0D
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+++++++++++++++++++++=0D
Sheila Shettle=0D
Senior Communications Officer=0D
M=C3=A9decins Sans Fronti=C3=A8res=0D
Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines=0D
Rue de Lausanne 78=0D
1211 Geneva=0D
Switzerland=0D
+ 41.22.849.8403=0D
+ 41.79.293.0270 (m.)=0D
sheila.shettle@geneva.msf.org=0D
www.accessmed-msf.org=0D
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