Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - September 20, 2005
Apinya Wipatayotin
PIC/S is the only international standard that provides a team of inspectors to check a candidate's procedure before approving its membership, Mr Prapol said.
Now, there are only three outstanding pharmaceutical standards applied worldwide - the WHO standard, PIC/S, and the one introduced by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
The European Free Trade Association founded the Pharmaceutical Inspection Convention for EU members in 1970 and PIC/S was established for non-EU members in 1995.
The EU allows drugs from overseas to enter its market if they pass the PIC/S requirements. Currently, 40% of major pharmaceutical markets are in the US and about 30% in EU countries.
The US is also expected to apply for PIC/S membership. If that happens, it means PIC/S is going to play an important role in the world drug market.Currently, PIC/S has 27 member countries.
"If we are approved for PIC/S membership, it will enhance the image of our pharmaceutical industry. We will be able to sell our medicinal products more widely in the world market. Many countries have shown their interest in our products but they require the PIC/S standard, which we don't have yet," Mr Prapol said.
He said Thailand should speed up its standard upgrading as Asean plans to allow free trading in health care products in 2010. Asean is likely to require all its 10 member countries to adopt the PIC/S standard. Currently, only Singapore and Malaysia are PIC/S members. Thailand plans to apply for PIC/S membership early next year, expecting to be endorsed in 2008. The Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia are likely to do the same soon.
Acting GPO director Wanchai Subhachaturus said Thailand's membership in PIC/S would bring many benefits as it would open new markets for Thai pharmaceutical products, especially Aids drugs.
GPO now has the capacity to produce around 80 million tablets of Aids drugs per year with a total trade value of about one billion baht. It plans to double its capacity in the next few years, which will enable it to export to African countries.
Currently, Thailand exports some seven million baht worth of Aids drugs per year to Burma, Cambodia and Nigeria.
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