[Pharm-policy] MSF press release on Thai ddI case

[James Love]

This is an MSF report from Thailand on the ddI case.
  Jamie
 
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THAILAND WILL PRODUCE GENERIC DDI POWDER

The Thai Ministry of Public Health today announced that it will not apply
compulsory license but that it will let the Government Pharmaceutical
Organization (GPO) produce the powder of ddI. About 100 activists had
gathered outside the Ministry of Public Health to hear the decision of the
Public Health Minister.

ddi powder is not patent protected in Thailand. One sachet will cost $0.7
(equivalent to 150 mg); daily cost will therefore be $ 1.4 compared to
currently about $ 3.7 No generic tablets will be available because of the
patent.

The problem with ddI is the expensive raw material because there is only
one relatively small supplier in Canada. Raw material from a Japanese
producer is only 55% of the cost but this is the BMS supplier and BMS has
prevented the company from selling to other customers.
If BMS would be interested to actually do something for people they could
offer ddI at a daily cost of probably less than $ 1.0!

No discount for the BMS product has been announced so far.

There are many open questions:

As reason for not applying compulsory license the Ministry of Public Health
quoted fear for a BMS law suit and lacking support from the Dept of
Intellectual Property.
The Dept. of Intellectual Property said that they were "worried" to use
compulsory license but refused to name reasons. Several activists
questioned why compulsory license is in the law if it can not be used.

The Public Health Minister was asked why ddI powder was not produced
already two years ago; he replied that he was not yet Health Minister at
that time.

The NGO network had demanded compulsory license for ddI since last year and
had also demanded the production of ddI powder as an interim solution.
NGO representatives will meet with the US ambassador to Thailand tomorrow,
Tuesday to hand over a letter to President Clinton asking for a statement
that the US government will not interfere if Thailand uses compulsory
license for ddI.


Tido von Schoen-Angerer, MD
MSF Thailand
msfdrugs@asianet.co.th