Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - September 1, 2007
Apiradee Treerutkuarkul
The move, exposed yesterday by Vichai Chokevivat, chairman of the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) board, is seen as the latest attempt by the drug giant to obstruct Thailand's controversial compulsory licensing moves.
Dr Vichai, who chairs a committee overseeing the government's compulsory licensing policy, said a Thai agent of the Indian drug firm Emcure Pharmaceuticals recently asked the Public Health Ministry to confirm that buying clopidogrel, a generic version of Plavix, from the firm was not a violation of patent law as claimed by Sanofi-Aventis.
The pharma giant has said selling clopidogrel to Thailand is illegal since the country had not made public its decision to override the patent.
However, Dr Vichai strongly denied the allegation and insisted that the ministry had officially declared its policy on the compulsory licensing of Plavix.
"The firm's remark is groundless and it will not be able to back its legal action against the generic drug manufacturer and supplier," said Dr Vichai.
The ministry, he said, would send a letter to Emcure and the Thai agent confirming that the ministry issued compulsory licences for Plavix and Kaletra, an advanced anti-Aids drug, on Jan 25 this year, for local production or import from overseas.
The ministry last week decided to import the generic drug for patients with heart disease from Emcure Pharmaceuticals, which offers clopidogrel at 1.01 baht per tablet, against the market price of 70 baht per tablet.
Plavix, a blood thinner, is used to treat coronary artery, peripheral vascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
He said that Sanofi-Aventis' threat would not affect the procurement agreement in which a first batch of 2 million heart drug tablets will be shipped in two months.
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