Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - October 30, 2005
Apinya Wipatayotin & Manop Thip-osod
Nimitre Thienudom, director of the Aids Access Foundation, considers the Aids situation in the country to be at a crisis point due to an insufficient supply of GPO-VIR, an anti-retroviral drug manufactured by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO), a firm under the Public Health Ministry.
Patients who are becoming resistant to GPO-VIR require Effavirenz, a stronger drug which is still expensive, costing a patient about 20,000 baht a month. Those using GPO-VIR currently pay just 1,200 baht per month for it.
Mr Nimitre said Effavirenz was difficult to buy on the market and so the government should resort to compulsory licensing in a bid to prevent a shortage.
Chuchai Somchumni, a senior official at the National Health Security Office, attempted to allay the concerns of Aids patients, insisting that the GPO was in talks with a pharmaceutical company producing Effavirenz, claiming the outcome was likely to be positive.
If it can be produced in India or Thailand, the price would drop to about 6,000 baht for a month's supply, said Dr Chuchai, whose agency provides health services to the public. He did not name the drug firm taking part in the discussions.
About 2,000 people are facing the problem of GPO-VIR resistance and the number is likely to increase year on year.
Deputy Public Health Minister Anuthin Charnveerakul played down the concerns of Aids groups, saying the government had sufficient budget to take care of those who are resistant to GPO-VIR.
But he admitted that compulsory licensing was a sensitive issue because it could ruin the atmosphere of trade and investment in the country.
"We have to think about it very carefully. The best way is to negotiate with the company," he said.
051030
BP051003
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