[Ip-health] Ken Adelman's (New) Lies

[robert weissman]

1. Ken Adelman's (New) Lies
2. USA for Innovation News Release: USA for Innovation Launches ThaiLies.com

Ken Adelman's (New) Lies
By Robert Weissman
May 7, 2007
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-weissman/ken-adelmans-new-lies_b_47864.html

One would think that an operation run by Ken Adelman -- infamous for
proclaiming that U.S. forces would enjoy a "cakewalk" in Iraq* -- would,
at least, be a little bit hesitant to label anyone a "liar."

But that would suggest something resembling humility and a conscience.

Among other posts, Ken Adelman now runs something called USA for
Innovation. This organization has launched a massive campaign against
Thailand, which has taken the noteworthy decision to prioritize public
health concerns over multinational corporate interests, and authorize
generic competition for several important drugs while they remain on patent.

USA for Innovation's latest release announces that it has created a
website, Thailies.com, "to draw attention to the deceit in Thailand's
decision to steal American and European innovation."

The group says that "today's lie" is that Thailand is a poor country
that cannot afford Western medicines. To prove that Thailand is not so
poor, the website cites economic data showing that the Thai economy is
fast growing (which it is).

What the website does not do is provide the single most relevant
statistic to determine the country's relative ability to pay the
sky-high prices charged by brand-name drug monopolists: per capita income.

According to the World Bank, Thailand's per capita income is $2,720</a>
-- roughly one-sixteenth U.S. per capita income.

One of the products for which Thailand issued a "compulsory license" --
an authorization of generic competition for a product that remains on
patent -- was Kaletra, an important combination HIV/AIDS drug made by
the Chicago drug giant Abbott Laboratories. Abbott's "discount" price
for Thailand before it issued its compulsory license: $2,200.

Thailand maintains a public health service that aims to provide
universal access to needed medicines. But the government's healthcare
budget faces constraints, and it is unable to provide universal access
to important medicines. The government has been very clear that the
savings it obtains from generic competition will be used exclusively to
provide greater coverage for the medicines it has compulsory licensed.
The government says just the initial price reductions for the HIV/AIDS
drug efavirenz (the patented version of which is marketed by Merck) will
enable it to provide access to the drug to an additional 20,000 people;
the initial price reductions for the generic versions of the Abbott
product Kaletra will enable the country to quadruple the number of
people receiving this lifesaving drug; and the price reduction for
clopidogrel (sold by Sanofi-Aventis as Plavix) will enable Thailand to
provide it in the public sector. In sum, says the government, the
purpose of its compulsory licenses is "to increase access to patented
essential drugs, rather than to save budget" expenditures.

Why is Ken Adelman working so hard to denounce Thailand's public health
initiatives?

Adelman says he serves as senior counselor at Edelman Public Relations
Worldwide.

Among its largest clients, Edelman lists Abbott Laboratories and Merck.
Half of the fourteen companies Edelman lists as its largest clients are
drug makers. Besides Abbott and Merck, these are AstraZeneca, Johnson &
Johnson, Novartis, Pfizer and Schering-Plough. (To see the firm's
brochure with the top client list, go to:
http://www.edelman.com/about_us/welcome/ and click on "corporate
brochure" under the "about us" header.)

There are life-and-death stakes in the deception campaign run by
Adelman, USA for Innovation and Big Pharma more generally. Through its
compulsory licensing program, Thailand is going to keep people alive who
would otherwise die, and avoid needless suffering. Adelman, Big Pharma,
et. al. would prefer that the country follow the norm, which is to
choose to let people die and suffer rather than offend multinational
corporate interests. Adelman and Big Pharma's top priority with their
pressure campaign is to send a message to other countries: Don't dare to
follow the Thai example.

Unfortunately for Big Pharma, but fortunately for people in developing
countries and anyone who cares about global public health, Brazil on
Friday announced it would follow Thailand in issuing a compulsory
license on an important HIV/AIDS drug. Big Pharma's grip may be
loosening -- which means there's every reason to expect stepped-up
attacks from the industry and its allies.

---

* Among Adelman's other claims about Iraq:

"Hussein constitutes the number one threat against American security and
civilization" (Ken Adelman, "Cakewalk in Iraq," Washington Post,
February 13, 2002).

After the anthrax scare in Washington, D.C.: "I think the most likely
source of this is Iraq." He went on to say, "But to tell you the truth,
I don't think we have to show evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that
Iraq is behind a lot of the terrorism right now. Listen, this is not a
court of law that we need this kind of evidence. It is war we're talking
about." (Fox News, October 25, 2001)

-------------------------------------------




USA for Innovation Launches ThaiLies.com

Website Highlights Deceit by Thailand's Minister of Health

WASHINGTON, May 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- ThaiLies.com
(http://www.thailies.com/), a project of USA for Innovation, was
unveiled today to draw attention to the deceit in Thailand's decision to
steal American and European innovation.  Each business day for two weeks
from May 7 - May 18, ThaiLies.com will release additional information
regarding one of the ten recent lies by the Health Minister Mongkol na
Songkhla.

   Today's Lie
   Is Thailand a poor country that cannot afford Western medicines?



In fact, just the opposite is true.  Thailand has the 21st largest
economy in the world when measured by gross domestic product (GDP)
derived from Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) calculations. According to
the CIA World Fact Book 2007, Thailand's economy is more productive than
over 200 countries -- placing Thailand among the top ten percent of
richest countries in the world.

Earlier this month USTR noted that Thailand continues to suffer from
"widespread commercial IPR counterfeiting and piracy."  The new Thai
military regime, which assumed power by coup last September, has now
introduced direct government theft of American innovation into the
quickly deteriorating U.S.- Thailand relationship through its theft of
the intellectual property of three drugs produced by American and
European companies.

   #1 of 10
   Lie: Thailand is a poor country and cannot afford Western medicines.
   Fact: Thailand Has One Of The Largest Economies In The World.


Thailand has the 21st largest economy in the world when measured by
gross domestic product (GDP) derived from Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)
calculations. Many experts believe analyzing economic activity using PPP
is the most accurate method because it allows comparisons in living
standards by taking into account the relative cost of living and the
inflation rates of the countries. According to the CIA World Fact Book
2007, Thailand's economy is more productive than over 200 countries --
placing Thailand among the top ten percent of richest countries in the
world.

(CIA Fact Book, Accessed 5/3/07)

Fact: Thailand's Economy Is Growing Faster Than Over 100 Countries
Across The Globe.

In 2006, Thailand's economy grew at a 4.8 percent clip -- ahead of 106
other countries around the world. Among the countries whose growth were
outpaced by Thailand were the United States (3.4%), Switzerland (2.9%)
and the United Kingdom (2.7%).

   (CIA Fact Book, Accessed 5/3/07)

   Fact: Thailand Has The 17th Lowest Unemployment Rate In The World.


According to the CIA World Fact Book, in 2006 Thailand's unemployment
rate was only 2.1 percent -- over half the rate of the United States
(4.8%) and about one-third the unemployment rate in Canada (6.4%).

(CIA Fact Book, Accessed 5/3/07)

Fact: Thailand's Exports Total Over $123 Billion -- Ahead Of Almost 200
Countries In The World.

In 2006, it is estimated that Thailand exported $123.5 billion, ahead of
Australia ($117 billion) or India ($112 billion).

(CIA Fact Book, Accessed 5/3/07)

Fact: Thailand's Industrial Production Is Growing At A Faster Rate Than
The European Union, Japan, And 100 Other Countries.

In 2006, Thailand's industrial output grew six percent -- double the
growth of industrial production worldwide. Thailand's output was well
ahead of Japan's 3.2 percent growth and the European Union's 2.6 percent.

   (CIA Fact Book, Accessed 5/3/07)

   About USA for Innovation and ThaiLies.com


USA For Innovation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the
protection of intellectual property and continued innovation around the
globe. USA For Innovation educates decision makers, the media and
general public about threats to innovation. ThaiLies.com is a project of
USA for Innovation intended to expose the web of deceit by Thailand's
Health Ministry.  For additional information, please contact us at
866-646-8668 or john@usaforinnovation.org.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:


Source: USA for Innovation


CONTACT:  USA for Innovation, +1-866-646-8668, john@usaforinnovation.org

Web site:  http://www.thailies.com/