[Ip-health] Thailand's plans to issue CLs on cancer medicines moves forward

[Sarah Rimmington]

Bangkok Post
June 24, 2007

Patent busting moves ahead

By Apiradee Treerutkuarkul

The plan to enforce compulsory licensing on cancer drugs has taken
another step closer to becoming reality.

The National Health Security Office (NHSO) has begun reviewing the
distribution system of the top 100-listed essential medicines, including
high-priced cancer drugs needed for treating patients under the
universal healthcare scheme.

The NHSO sub-panel overseeing the possibility of using compulsory
licensing on essential drugs will meet next week to discuss the
efficiency of drug distribution methods for patients under the universal
healthcare scheme.

The panel has been studying the pros and cons of the system for over
three years, said panel member Samlee Jaidee, also an academic at
Chulalongkorn University's faculty of pharmaceutical sciences.

The meeting will take place as soon as Public Health Minister Mongkol na
Songkhla returns from England. He is meeting executives of
pharmaceutical firm Dabur Pharma Limited, which makes generic versions
of cancer-treating drugs, to seek out further options for treating
chronic patients in Thailand.

Dr Mongkol earlier said compulsory licensing of cancer drugs was
essential since the disease was the fifth most likely cause of death for
Thais, after accidents, HIV/Aids, heart diseases and old age.

The government spent more than 1.2 billion baht last year on about
50,000 cancer patients receiving treatment through the universal
healthcare scheme run by the NHSO, he said.

A source at the NHSO said the meeting would also review the feasibility
of distributing more expensive cancer drugs for patients under the
universal healthcare scheme.

Among the drugs on the list are leukaemia drug Imatinib sold by Novartis
under the trade name Glivec.

Glivec is not yet available under the universal healthcare scheme due to
the high cost of the drug.

In Thailand, the drug costs about 900 baht per tablet and patients
suffering from leukaemia need to spend about 3,600 baht a day on treatment.

However, the generic version of the drug would cost only 80 baht a day,
a source said.

Thailand approved compulsory licensing to bypass patents on anti-Aids
and heart drugs Efavirenz, Kaletra and Plavix last November and January,
and the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation has begun importing the
generic version of Efavirenz from a drug maker in India.

But the health agency is still negotiating with MSD, Abbott and
Sanofi-Aventis, patent holders of Efavirenz, Kaletra and Plavix
respectively, to seek flexible solutions for both sides in terms of
expanding access to medicine for the public.

--
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