Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2008. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - March 13, 2008
Apiradee Treerutkuarkul
This is to save money on drug imports and speed up the distribution of medicine to patients.
The plant is under construction in Nakhon Nayok and is expected to be completed within six months. It may take around 10 months before the plant is ready to produce the first batch of medicines. Its maximum production capacity would be three billion tablets a year, he said.
The agency had already distributed Efavirenz tablets and the second-line Aids drug Lopinavir/Ritonavir, bought from Indian drug makers.
The distribution of Clopidogrel has been delayed however because the India-based manufacturer was uncertain over the Samak Sundaravej government's CL policy. He said the GPO would be able to distribute the imported heart drug within 45 days from the government stating clearly it would continue the previously-announced CL policy.
Dr Witit said the GPO has no plans to produce cancer drugs as they need high-end production technology and also require massive investment.
Meanwhile, the GPO would be distributing the generic lung and cancer drug Docetaxel for patients under the universal healthcare scheme within one and a half months. The Indian generic maker charges 1,245 baht per 80mg of the drug compared to the original version which costs 25,000 baht. The first batch would be enough to treat about 1,000 lung and breast cancer patients.
The GPO was still seeking generic versions of Erlotinib, a lung cancer drug, and Letrozole, a breast cancer drug for local distribution, he said.
Mongkol na Songkhla, public health minister under the coup-maker appointed government, announced the CL policy for the cancer drugs on Jan 4. It was aimed at bypassing the patents on four cancer drugs - Erlotinib, Docetaxel, Imatinib and Letrozole - because the patent holders refused to lower prices after 13 rounds of talks.
Dr Mongkol later cancelled a deal for Imatinib after the patent holder offered the drug free to 900 patients under the universal healthcare scheme.
In a related development, the EU confirmed the legality of Thailand's policy on CL and did not plan to threaten a World Trade Organisation challenge.
"The commission has been in constant contact with the Thai authorities and has stressed that compulsory licensing, while allowed by the WTO rules, should be regarded as a last resort option and that negotiations and collaboration with pharmaceutical companies should be sought. The EU is hoping that this will be the line of the new government," the EU said in a statement.
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Mingkwan Sangsuwan said yesterday he fully supported CL for cancer drugs, saying he is ready to explain the policy to foreign countries in the hope of preventing any impact upon trade.
"Personally, I agree with the government's plan to go ahead with CL to ensure access to essential medicines for Thai patients," he said.
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