AEGiS-Bangkok Post: GPO told to speed up Aids drug factory

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

GPO told to speed up Aids drug factory

Bangkok Post - July 6, 2006
Apinya Wipatayotin

The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) has to speed up the bidding process for a new anti-Aids drugs factory or its board will face the sack, says Deputy Public Health Minister Anuthin Charnveerakul. Plans for a factory which can make the GPO/VIR drug to World Health Organisation standards had been delayed more than three years. Progress is needed in the next three months, he said.

Bidding for the 940-million-baht plant in Pathum Thani has come to a halt following allegations the process lacks transparency.

Mr Anuthin said the delay is hampering the government's plan to introduce GPO/VIR to the world market.

The plant will seek certification of good manufacturing practice from WHO once it is up and running.

Currently, the state-owned GPO produces 300,000 tablets a day of the drug for people living with HIV/Aids. The new plant, with WHO approval, will increase capacity to 500,000 tablets a day, enabling the agency to place the drugs on the foreign market.

The sale of GPO/VIR drugs to state-run hospitals brings in more than one billion baht a year for the agency.

"I would like the GPO to speed up the project because the construction cost has grown more than 30%," he said, adding the GPO board should prepare to leave unless progress is made.

Wanchai Subhachaturas, GPO deputy director, said the agency is trying as hard as it can.

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