http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=126289
Chaiya favours CL on cancer drugs - for now
Bangkok Post.com
March 3, 2008
Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsap insisted on Monday that he intends to persevere with the policy of issuing compulsory licences (CL) for key cancer drugs - but the government may still decide to cancel the patent-busting measure.
Chaiya favours CL on cancer drugs - for now
Bangkok Post.com
March 3, 2008
Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsap insisted on Monday that he intends to persevere with the policy of issuing compulsory licences (CL) for key cancer drugs - but the government may still decide to cancel the patent-busting measure.
Mr Chaiya, who has ordered a review of CL policies on drugs for heart disease, spoke on Monday with representatives from the labour union of the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO), which is theoretically to break patents and manufacture generic copies of expensive drugs eventually.He said the issue will be finalised within two weeks, and insisted he will not withdraw the CL ordered on cancer drugs for poor patients.
He said, however, that the final decision on the issue rests with the Commerce Ministry. The public must await the results from the commerce ministry.
Rawai Phupaka, chairman of the GPO Labour Union said that an Indian drug company postponed drug registration in Thailand for another 25 months pending the public health ministry's final decision
on the CL.[EVEN THE INDIAN PHARMA COMPANIES ARE RELUCTANT TO REGISTER THEIR DRUG PRODUCTS IN THAILAND DUE TO THE LACK OF RESPECT FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY-BASED PATENTS. THE IMPRUDENT THAI GOVERNMENT POLICY WILL THUS HARM THE WELFARE OF THAI CITIZENS!]
The postponement, he pointed out, might cause the GPO substantial monetary damages. Until it is able to manufacture the drugs itself, the GPO is to import and resell Indian-made copies of the drugs. (TNA)
No comments:
Post a Comment