[Ip-health] Reuters: Thai chief drug price negotiator removed from post

[Sarah Rimmington]

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssHealthcareNews/idUSBKK30903120080226

Thai chief drug price negotiator removed from post
Tue Feb 26, 2008 7:14am EST

<snip>
Drug firms and their allies have accused Bangkok of stealing
intellectual property. The United States put Thailand on its "priority
watch list", citing weaker respect for patents.

Washington has not threatened trade sanctions, but Chaiya has said Thai
Commerce Ministry officials fear a further downgrade could put Thailand
at risk of American trade retaliation.

Mongkol insisted he followed Thai laws and World Trade Organisation
rules, which allow countries to override a drug patent if it is deemed
critical to public health as long as the medicines are meant for
domestic use. (Reporting by Bangkok bureau; Editing by Darren Schuettler)
<snip>


BANGKOK, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Thailand's chief negotiator with major drug
firms that are battling Bangkok's override of their international
patents has been removed from his post, Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsap
said on Tuesday.

Siriwat Thiptharadon, head of the Food and Drug Administration and an
architect of the previous government's compulsory licence (CL) policy,
was moved to an inactive post.

"It's not about the CL issue, it's about appropriateness," Chaiya told
reporters after a weekly cabinet meeting, a remark he did not explain.

Chatree Banchuen, a senior Health Ministry official, was appointed head
of the FDA and lead negotiator on drug prices.

Starting in late 2006, former Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla
overrode patents on two HIV-AIDS drugs, a heart medicine and four cancer
drugs, arguing that they were too expensive for a national health plan
covering about 80 percent of Thailand's 63 million people.

Chaiya, a member of the new government which took power last month, has
questioned the legality of the moves on the cancer drugs and said the
government could afford their $24-$27 million annual cost.

Drug firms and their allies have accused Bangkok of stealing
intellectual property. The United States put Thailand on its "priority
watch list", citing weaker respect for patents.

Washington has not threatened trade sanctions, but Chaiya has said Thai
Commerce Ministry officials fear a further downgrade could put Thailand
at risk of American trade retaliation.

Mongkol insisted he followed Thai laws and World Trade Organisation
rules, which allow countries to override a drug patent if it is deemed
critical to public health as long as the medicines are meant for
domestic use. (Reporting by Bangkok bureau; Editing by Darren Schuettler)

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