Thailand rejects US copyright offenders watchlist downgrade over drug row |
|
|
|
Published
:
Wed, 02 May 2007 10:40
|
BANGKOK (XFN-ASIA) - Health minister Mongkol Na Songkhla rejected a US trade report downgrading Thailand to a group of nations with poor records of intellectual property protection amid a patent row with Western firms over generic drugs.Mongkol, who has clashed with US and European pharmaceutical giants over Thailand's use of cheap copycat generic drugs, accused drug giants of trying to hurt the country's reputation.'It is likely that the drug companies have lobbied the US Trade Representative's office in a bid to damage Thailand's credibility as it downgraded (Thailand) to the priority watch list,' he told a local TV network.The US trade office said it is concerned by 'an overall deterioration in the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in Thailand' in an annual report released recently.Apart from rampant copyright violations on books, DVDs and apparel here, the US report said Thailand's generic drug efforts are 'further indications of a weakening of respect for patents.'However, Mongkol, appointed by the army-backed premier following a September coup, rejected the report, which put Thailand among the worst global copyright offenders such as China, Russia and India.'We need cheap drugs to allow the poor to have access to medications,' the minister said.The government plans to import generic versions of AIDS drugs, Kaletra and Efavirenz, and popular heart disease medicine Plavix, from India.Angered by Thailand's move, US pharmaceutical giant Abbott Laboratories, the maker of Kaletra, decided in March not to sell the new form of the AIDS drug.However, the Chicago-based drug giant appeared to back away from a confrontation with the Thai government as it was offering to sell the latest version of Kaletra, known as Aluvia.Nimit Tienudom, director for AIDS Access Foundation, a Thai organization supporting AIDS patients, also dismissed the US report.'These drug companies want the Thai government to stop using compulsory licenses' that allow generic drugs, he said.afp/netland slammed a US
|
|
|
|
Print this Story
Medical charity MSF slams Abbott's decision not to sell new drugs in Thailand 