Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2008. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bangkok Post - July 1, 2008
Apiradee Treerutkuarkul
In May, the cabinet removed Dr Vichai and other GPO board members and appointed a new board on the recommendation of Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsab. Dr Vichai and five board members petitioned the Administrative Court over the order to remove them and the court ruled last Wednesday that they be reinstated, the first time this has ever happened at any state enterprise.
"Every day that passes is meaningful for patients waiting for medical treatment. We have to work fast," he said.
The GPO board chairman said he approved the importation of the generic lung and breast cancer drug docetaxel from an India-based manufacturer as soon as he returned to work. The Food and Drug Administration had already approved its quality.
The generic version of this drug cost only 1,245 baht per injection, compared with the patent version which is priced at 25,000 baht.
The first batch of the drug will arrive within two weeks and be sufficient to treat 1,000 lung and breast cancer patients under the universal healthcare scheme, he said.
A health advocate spearheading the policy on compulsory licenses believed it would help balance the drug pricing system and increase access to essential drugs, especially for the poor.
GPO managing director Witit Artavatkhun said the compulsory licensing policy enabled the agency to save more than 10-million baht of its budget alone on anti-Aids drug Effavirenz. So far four drugmakers from India have registered the drug to sell in Thailand, resulting in lower prices - from 600 baht per bottle to about 300 baht.
Dr Witit conceded that the sudden change of the GPO board had affected staff morale as a reinstatement of this kind had never happened in the past at any state agency.
Mr Chaiya yesterday abruptly cancelled his entire work schedule at the Public Health Ministry, saying he was preparing his testimony for the Constitution Court, where he is charged with failing to declare his wife's shareholding exceeding 5% in a private firm.
The court will consider the case today.
Mr Chaiya also has to testify to the Administrative Court tomorrow over alleged contempt of court.
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