[Ip-health] Pharmalot: Did the USTR retaliate against Thailand?

[Sarah Rimmington]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
Did the USTR retaliate against Thailand?
Pharmalot
June 21, 2007
by Ed Silverman

http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/06/congress-says-ustr-retailiated-against-thailand/


In a rather pointed letter
<http://www.house.gov/waxman/pdfs/thailand%20letter%20to%20ustr%2006-20-07.pdf>,
Henry Waxman and 34 other members of Congress tell US Trade Rep Sue
Schwab that her office has "penalized" Thailand by placing the Asian
nation on its Priority Watch list
<http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/04/us_trade_rep_thailand_on_watch/>.

This is a dubious distinction reserved for countries that don't "provide
an adequate level of intellectual property rights protection or
enforcement." The move came after Thailand issued compulsory licenses
for three drugs, including Abbott Lab's Kaletra, to which the drugmaker
responded by refusing to sell a new heat-sensitive version to the country.

"It is difficult to interpret this decision as anything other than
retaliation for Thailand's recent actions. It sends a troubling message
not only to Thailand, but the whole world, that the exercise of
recognized public health flexibilities in trade obligations is frowned
upon by the United States...The move is being viewed as a warning and
threat to other countries that might consider similar action," they write.

They conclude, of course, by asking Schwab to remove Thailand from the
Priority Watch list. Whether Schwab heeds their call remains to be seen,
but this is the largest such group of Congressional reps to go on record
in support of Thailand since the controversy broke out several months
ago. And their letter, which cites Schwab's willingness to act on
complaints from Abbott and others, suggests the row could get still more
interesting.


--
Sarah Rimmington
Project Attorney
Essential Action, Access to Medicines Project
Washington, DC
Office: (202) 387-8030 x34
Mobile: (202) 422-2687
www.essentialaction.org/access