[Ip-health] Parallel import controversy in Kenya

[Mike Palmedo]

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[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
http://allafrica.com/stories/200701181072.html

Row Over Import of Drugs

The Nation (Nairobi)
January 19, 2007
By Jeff Otieno
Nairobi

A row is brewing between the Government and a drugs association over parall=
el importation of medicines.

The Kenya Pharmaceuticals Distributors Association says its members are bei=
ng denied licences to import affordable drugs due to what they describe as =
"pressure exerted on the Government by some Western countries".

The association's chairman, Dr Kamamia wa Murichu, said that the United Sta=
tes and Britain wanted importers to buy drugs from their Kenya-based firms.

Dr Murichu pointed out that the prices offered by the multinationals were h=
igher than those offered by other countries.

He said the insistence by Western countries that importers buy from their l=
ocal representatives was an impediment to the reduction of drug prices.

Dr Murichu added that the move also in contravened the Kenya Industrial Pro=
perty Act, section 58 (2), which allowed parallel importation.

However, his claims were dismissed by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board as unt=
rue.

The board's officer in charge of trade, Dr Ronald Inyangala, denied that Br=
itain and the US representatives were applying pressure on the Government n=
ot to allow parallel importation of branded drugs.

Dr Inyangala said the ministry was putting measures in place to ensure coun=
terfeit drugs were not imported and patent laws were respected.

He said a meeting scheduled for next month will discuss the importation gui=
delines that would help make the Act operational.

The officer said the ministries of Health and Trade had a duty to ensure pr=
oper rules were in place to bar unscrupulous individuals from taking advant=
age of the law.

However, Dr Murichu insisted the Government ought to allow parallel importa=
tion of essential drugs. He claimed that multinationals were charging exorb=
itant prices.

"Currently, the drugs being parallel imported are those branded products wh=
ose patents have expired," he added.

He said the importation had led to price reduction of drugs such as Deep He=
at, a rubefacient cream, the potent anti-malarial drug Halfan, and Nise tab=
lets, a pain and inflammation relief drug, among others.

An analysis by the association found that drugs in Kenya cost more than the=
y did in other countries.

For instance, Azthromycin 250 mg one dose capsules used for treating genita=
l ulcers is sold at Sh892 in Kenya, Sh246.74 (India), Sh563.56 (Brazil) and=
 Sh386 (Spain).