[Ip-health] Thailand: Minister underattack for plan to reverse CL

[robert weissman]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/19Feb2008_news12.php

Bangkok Post
February 19, 2008

Minister underattack for plan to reverse CL

Opposition and NLA members oppose idea

PRADIT RUANGDIT and NAREERAT WIRIYAPONG

Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsab's plan to cancel the compulsory
licensing (CL) of patented medicines came under attack from the
opposition Democrats and the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) on the
first day of the government policy debate yesterday.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Mr Chaiya's swift statement
backing the reversal of the CL scheme was inappropriate.

It would weaken the country's negotiating power with giant
pharmaceutical manufacturers and trade partners.

The government's policy on compulsory licensing should be based on three
principles, he said.

''These are the patients' right of access to medicines; the country's
right to apply measures in line with international trade laws and
agreements to protect the public's health; and prompt negotiations with
trade partners who have trouble with Thailand's bypassing of drug
patents,'' said Mr Abhisit.

NLA member Amphon Jindawattana questioned Mr Chaiya's motivation in
halting the policy to override drug patents and urged Prime Minister
Samak Sundaravej to clarify the government's stance on the matter.

''Why did the minister come up with such an idea [to end compulsory
licensing] despite the fact that it is beneficial to Thai citizens?'' he
said.

Public Health Ministry spokesman Suphan Srithamma said the health
minister's proposal to suspend licensing for life-saving drugs was
restricted to four cancer drugs only.

He made the explanation after some health campaigners and patients
expressed fears the Samak government would revoke compulsory licences
for three Aids and heart drugs _ Efavirenz, Kaletra, and Plavix _ issued
in November 2006 and January 2007.

''The ministry will go ahead with the issuance of CL on the three
medicines. Aids and heart disease patients will be able to afford cheap
drugs under the scheme,'' he said.

Dr Suphan said the revision of the previous government's bypassing of
drug patents was aimed at making the scheme more transparent and the
patients' benefits would be the centre of concerns.

The permanent secretaries for the Foreign, Commerce and Public Health
ministries met last week to discuss whether the CL scheme should be
continued after Mr Chaiya voiced his opposition to the decision to
override the patents of four cancer drugs by former minister Mongkol na
Songkhla on Jan 4.

The four drugs are the breast cancer drug letrozole produced by
Novartis; leukaemia drug Imatinib also of Novartis; breast and lung
cancer drug docetaxel of Sanofi-Aventis, and lung cancer drug erlotinib
of Roche.

The officials are expected to come up with policy recommendations and
submit them to the ministers next week, he said.

Kiatphong Noichaiboon, a director of the Federation of Thai Industries,
urged the government to continue with the compulsory licensing of
pharmaceuticals.

He said the CL issue was unrelated to international trade or favourable
tariffs received by Thai exporters from foreign countries.

''CL is the right measure and there is no need to reverse what has been
implemented,'' said Mr Kiatphong.

The network of nongovernmental organisations working on HIV/Aids said
the committee and consumer groups would file administrative charges
against the Public Health Ministry for dereliction of duty if the
ministry refuses to proceed with the compulsory licensing scheme.