[Ip-health] Activists push for global boycott

[Kannikar KIJTIWATCHAKUL]

ABBOTT BACKLASH
Activists push for global boycott

The Nation , Tuesday March 20, 2007

Thai, international health groups incensed at firm's
withdrawal of licence applications

Bangkok-based health advocacy groups yesterday began a
mass public campaign to boycott giant US drug-maker
Abbott Laboratories and vowed to bring the campaign to
a global level.

The company withdrew its applications for registration
of its new drugs in Thailand in protest at the
government's decision to use compulsory licensing for
the company's blockbuster Aids medication.

The health groups, including the powerful Rural
Doctors Society which once brought down a public
health minister, a group representing pharmacists
around the country, the globally-respected Medicins
Sans Frontieres (MSF) and various consumer networks
vowed to boycott Abbott products until the company
changed its mind.
Kannikar Kitjiwatchakul, an access campaigner at the
MSF Bangkok office, said MSF offices around the world
are now discussing whether to raise the boycott
campaign to a global level.

Saree Aongsomwang, manager of the Foundation for
Consumers, said more than 220 members of Consumers
International in 115 countries would join the boycott.

"Since Abbott has challenged Thailand and shown it
doesn't care about Thai consumers, please stop using
any of its products," she said. "This act by Abbott is
totally unacceptable. Please don't ignore this
pressure against the government over stopping what
really benefits the consumer."

"If things go like this, they will certainly face a
tireless boycott," said activist Rosana Tositrakul,
who represents the Thai Holistic Health Foundation.

Based in Illinois, Abbott is one of the world's
largest pharmaceutical companies and enjoys good
profits with its blockbuster Kaletra, an anti-retro
viral drug used for people living with HIV/Aids. The
company also has a large market share in Thailand with
four leading pharmaceutical products: antibiotics such
as Erytab and Klacid, the pain killer Brufen, and the
slimming pill Reductil.

It was not known how many of Abbot's drugs still had
exclusive rights to be sold under patent protection in
Thailand.

Dr Kriengsak Vacharanukulki-eti, who heads the Rural
Doctors Society, said the group would circulate a
letter to doctors at all hospitals across the country
asking them to join in the boycott of Abbott's
products and consider prescribing generic versions of
the company's medicines, or from other companies where
possible.
The health group also warned other transnational drug
companies that were considering similar actions.
"It's not worth risking your company's reputation like
Abbott is doing," said Dr Tul Sittisomwong, a health
activist.

The campaign to boycott Abbott will be spread
throughout the country and include publishing a list
of the company's products and public education
activities about the boycott, Saree said.

Apart from medicines, Abbott also markets food
supplements and baby formulas and powdered milk for
young children, as well as animal health products. The
groups are calling on the public to stop buying them,
said Nimitr Tien-udom of Aids Access, a non-government
organisation on HIV/Aids.

"May I ask all people to join hands and we then will
win over such an immoral drug company," Nimitr said.
Abbott has withdrawn its application in Thailand for
new seven medicines, including a new formulation of
Kaletra for the treatment of Aids. The six other drugs
are the painkiller Brufen; an antibiotic called
Abbotic; Clivarine to prevent blood clots; the
arthritis drug Humira, and the high- blood pressure
drugs Tarka and Zemplar for patients with kidney
disease.

The company notified the Thai government a few weeks
ago after talks between the two sides broke down, the
Wall Street Journal reported last week, citing an
informed source.

"As a patient myself, I find this act of Abbott so
inhumane," said Subil Noksakul from a network of Thai
patients with kidney disease. He said patients in the
network were going to ask their doctors to stop giving
them Abbott's medicines and use other drugs instead.
Reuters reported on March 15 that Germany's Bayer
supported Abbott's decision to stop launching new
drugs in Thailand in protest at the army-backed
government's move to override international drug
patents.

"I fully support Abbott and I fully support the very
strong stance the industry is taking. This is not the
way forward," Arthur Higgins, the head of Bayer's
healthcare unit, told Reuters.

"I do not believe it is in the long-term interest of
the Thai people because Abbot has already said they
will not bring any other new products to the Thai
market. That is what will happen." However, he would
not say whether Bayer would also withdraw its
applications for new drugs in Thailand if one of its
drugs was affected.
In 2005, Bayer generated sales of Bt36.3 billion in
Thailand.

Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla in January
lifted the patent protection for the HIV/Aids drug
Kaletra made by United States-based Abbott
Laboratories and the anti-clotting agent Plavix, made
by Sanofi-Aventis of France and Bristol-Myers Squibb
of the US.
The decision was praised by international health
advocate agencies including the World Health
Organisation and MSF.

Abbott Laboratories' office in Bangkok was not
available for comment yesterday.

Arthit Khwankhom
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Activists call for boycott of US drug giant
Say Abbott's response to govt move immoral

Bangkok Post, Tuesday March 20, 2007

Activist doctors, consumer rights and Aids groups have
called for a boycott of medicines and other products
of US drug giant Abbott Laboratories after the firm
withdrew the registration of seven new drugs in
Thailand. They said the action by the drug firm, which
produces the anti-Aids drug, Kaletra, in response to
the government's decision to go ahead with compulsory
licensing, was immoral.

Also withdrawn are new antibiotics and other medicines
for the treatment of kidney disorders, high blood
pressure and constricted blood vessels.

''Abbott is acting like it is taking patients hostage
in a bid to pressure the government to abandon
compulsory licensing,'' Saree Ongsomwang, of the
Foundation for Consumers, said in a statement released
yesterday.
The Public Health Ministry has approved compulsory
licensing that allows for the importation or
production of generic versions of patented drugs so
low-income patients can afford them.

Abbott's Kaletra, an advanced anti-Aids drug, is one
of three medications coming under compulsory
licensing. The others are the anti-Aids drug
Efavirenz, and Plavix, for patients with heart
disease, produced by other companies.

The activists rebuked the company for placing profit
before business ethics.

''We've already asked health establishments nationwide
to join the boycott,'' said Rural Doctors Society
president Kriangsak Watcharanukulkiat.

The groups have cooperated with international heath
promotion organisations such as Medicins Sans
Frontieres (Doctors without Borders), to ask people in
other countries to take part in the boycott.

They also threatened to expand their boycott to other
types of products made by companies affiliated to
Abbot, should the company still insist on withdrawing
its new drugs from Thailand.

Abbot is a major producer of a wide range of products,
including medicines and nutrient and milk products.
''The company's action clearly shows it is being
unscrupulous,'' said Rosana Tositrakul, coordinator of
the Anti-Corruption Network of 30 Non-Governmental
Organisations.

The Public Health Ministry has applied the compulsory
licensing under the Thai Patent Act that allows the
country to import or produce generic and cheaper
versions of patented drugs. The World Trade
Organisation also allows its member nations to declare
a ''national emergency'' as a reason to use compulsory
licensing.

''It took us seven years to convince the government to
approve them,'' said Aids Access Foundation's local
director Nimit Tienudom, defending the merits of the
compulsory licences.

Unlike previous governments which dared not infuriate
giant drug companies, the Surayud Chulanont government
had taken a courageous move to protect the rights of
patients, Mr Nimit said.

''All people will fight on by your side,'' said Mr
Nimit, in reference to Public Heath Minister Mongkol
na Songkhla.

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AFP News brief, 19/3/07

Thai calls to boycott US drugmaker over generics row
Thai activists on Monday called for the boycott of a
US drugmaker after the company said it would not sell
new drugs here in response to a government decision to
override one of its patents.

Saree Ongsomwang from the Consumer Foundation said a
coalition of activists would lead a boycott of
Chicago-based Abbott Laboratories, which is embroiled
in a dispute with the Thai government over generic
drugs.

The company said last week it would pull patent
applications already filed in Thailand because it
would not market new drugs in the kingdom, in protest
at the army-backed government's decision to issue a
compulsory licence for Abbott's anti-AIDS drug
Kaletra.
The World Trade Organisation allows countries to issue
such licences, which temporarily suspend a company's
patent rights, to deal with public health emergencies.
Few countries have used this provision, but Thailand
is moving aggressively to use the rule.

"The decision to withdraw its patent for new drugs is
an unfair trade practise and irresponsible to
society," Saree told reporters.

Rosana Tositrakoon from the Thai Holistic Health
Foundation defended the government's approval of
generic versions of the anti-AIDS drugs Kaletra and
Efavirenz, as well as the blockbuster heart drug
Plavix.
"Until the company changes its position, it will face
tougher and tougher boycotts," she said.

She said the groups would hold a march to educate the
public and urged sympathisers in other countries to
boycott Abbott's products.

Thailand says it needs generic drugs to make treatment
affordable to the general public under its universal
health scheme.

Drug companies defend their pricing, saying new
medications are expensive to offset the cost of
bringing new drugs to market.

Abbott said last week it would not bring seven new
drugs to Thailand, including a new version of Kaletra
as well as cutting-edge antibiotics and painkillers.
Compulsory licences are expected to save Thailand some
1.03 to 1.66 billion baht (30 to 48 million dollars)
in its health budget, according to the activists.

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Abbott's White receives $22.5M in 2006

ABC, Tue, 20 Mar 2007 00:09

CHICAGO (AP) - The chief executive of Abbott
Laboratories Inc., Miles White, received compensation
valued at $22.5 million from the pharmaceutical and
medical products maker last year, according to an
analysis of a regulatory filing by the company Monday.


White was paid a base salary of $1.66 million, a 3.5
percent raise from the previous year.

The bulk of his compensation came from being granted a
combined $14.2 million in options and restricted
stock, which the company said was performance-based.
That total included a stock option grant of 438,000
shares, valued at $5.1 million at the time they were
granted in February 2006, and 139,000 shares in
performance-based restricted stock, valued at $6.1
million.

Abbott said it also awarded White $4 million under an
incentive plan to recognize his leadership in guiding
the company to a strong performance compared with its
peers.

White also received perks worth $855,233 for items
including contributions and payments related to his
employer-sponsored retirement plan and use of the
company aircraft.

The company said the 51-year-old White had exceeded
his strategic and financial goals for 2006, citing
Abbott's strong growth in sales, earnings and
shareholder returns that placed it in the top quartile
of simiilar health-care companies.

The Associated Press calculations of total pay include
executives' salary, bonus, incentives, perks,
above-market returns on deferred compensation and the
estimated value of stock options and awards granted
during the year. The calculations don't include
changes in the present value of pension benefits and
sometimes differ from the totals released by the
companies. Abbott put White's total compensation at
$26.9 million.

North Chicago, Ill.-based Abbott reported 2006 net
earnings of $1.7 billion, down 49 percent from the
previous year because of charges related to its
multibillion-dollar acquisitions of Kos
Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Guidant Corp.'s heart stent
and vascular business. Revenue rose 0.6 percent to
$22.5 billion.

Analysts have been bullish on the rapid growth of its
pharmaceutical business, led by anti-inflammatory drug
Humira.

The company's proxy statement said shareholders will
vote at its April 27 annual meeting on whether to
approve an advisory vote on executive compensation and
whether to recommend separating the roles of chairman
and CEO.

Abbott shares closed 30 cents higher at $53.18 on the
New York Stock Exchange. They are up 9 percent this
year after rising 24 percent in 2006.


Kannikar KIJTIWATCHAKUL (Kar)
Mobile 66-85-0708954
kakablue@yahoo.com



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