[Ip-health] Bangkok Post: Academic hits at US over CL

[Sarah Rimmington]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/230208_News/23Feb2008_news06.php

<snip> Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsab yesterday said the
government would continue to import heart drug Clopidogrel from Indian
generic drugmaker Cadila Zydus as he had not revoked the licences on
Aids and heart drugs issued by then minister Mongkol Na Songkhla.

Two million tablets of the medicine were expected to arrive for use with
patients under the universal healthcare coverage in April, he said.

Nimit Tienudom, chairman of the Aids Access Foundation, said his network
would call on Foreign Affairs Minister Noppadon Pattama on Wednesday to
learn about his stance on the CL policy. <snip>


Academic hits at US over CL
Thailand should ask WTO to help, says Aat

APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL

Thailand should also petition the World Trade Organisation (WTO) if
Washington takes the compulsory licensing dispute to the organisation,
says Aat Pisanwanich, an economics lecturer at the Thai Chamber of
Commerce University. Like the US, Thailand is also a WTO member country
and seeking flexibilities under the Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights (Trips) to bypass patents of Aids, heart
and cancer drugs for emergency use was legitimate, the academic told a
forum on the CL policy held by the National Economic and Social Advisory
Council.

The Commerce Ministry earlier said the US planned to petition the WTO
over Thailand's CL stance, saying it was not discussed with the patent
holders.

''The lives of Thai people, who still lack rights and opportunities,
have to be prioritised over anything else. If the military-appointed
government could announce CL to help expand the public's access to
medicine, why can't the elected government do the same?'' he said.

Mr Aat, also the director of the Centre for International Trade Studies,
said it was impossible for Washington to cut all GSP benefits worth
about US$3.5 billion each year to Thai exporters. In his opinion, the
worst-case scenario would be half of all GSP benefits would be cut
totalling about two billion dollars.

There was nothing wrong if the country continued bypassing drug patents
by implementing the CL policy, he said, adding Thailand could be an
example to other developing countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and
African nations.

The Thai healthcare system also depends a great deal on the
multinational pharmaceutical industry. In 2007, the volume of medical
imports from the US alone was US$143 million.

However, Mr Aat said Thailand should not depend only on Trips
flexibilities to increase access to affordable drugs. It was necessary
for the government to subsidise more healthcare funding.

That would be a win-win solution for both exporters and the majority of
the population, he said.

Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsab yesterday said the government
would continue to import heart drug Clopidogrel from Indian generic
drugmaker Cadila Zydus as he had not revoked the licences on Aids and
heart drugs issued by then minister Mongkol Na Songkhla.

Two million tablets of the medicine were expected to arrive for use with
patients under the universal healthcare coverage in April, he said.

Nimit Tienudom, chairman of the Aids Access Foundation, said his network
would call on Foreign Affairs Minister Noppadon Pattama on Wednesday to
learn about his stance on the CL policy.

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