Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - November 22, 2002
Aphaluck Bhatiasevi
Speaking after a meeting with Aids activists, permanent secretary Vallop Thainua said patients had stopped coming to pick up the cocktail of Aids drugs prescribed under the scheme, because some drugs gave them allergic reactions.
Kamon Uppakaew of the network of people with HIV/Aids said more flexibility was needed. The ministry should stop fixing the combination of drugs, as some patients were unable to take them.
About 10,000 people joined at the start of the year but since then the number has halved.
Dr Vallop said the ministry still hoped to involve up to 23,000 patients next year, 20,000 adults and 3,000 children.
By 2004, the programme should cover at least 50,000-60,000 people, he said. The earlier target of including 10% of the one million people with exceptionally low white blood-cell counts might not be possible.
Meanwhile, Aids activists have urged the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation board to join them in filing a lawsuit against drugs giant Bristol Myers Squibb, to get Aids drug didanosine produced at reasonable rates.
Dr Vallop, who is also chairman of the board, said he would consult legal experts at the board meeting on Thursday. The organisation wanted to increase people's access to drugs.
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