Thai PM defends generic drug stance despite US worries

Thai PM defends generic drug stance despite US worries

	Published : Thu, 03 May 2007 09:23 By : Agencies Print this Story

BANGKOK (XFN-ASIA) - Thai prime minister Surayud Chulanont defended his government's move to allow generic versions of three patented drugs, despite US worries over intellectual property rights in the kingdom.

'We still defend what we have done, and we can explain our action to other countries as well the world community,' Surayud told reporters.

Health minister Mongkol Na Songkhla will travel to the United States on Tuesday, along with the head of the Thai Food and Drugs Administration, to sign an agreement with the Clinton Foundation on obtaining cheaper drugs, Surayud said.

Mongkol will again travel to Washington on May 21 to explain Thailand's position to US lawmakers and other government agencies, he added.

In an annual report released on Monday, the US trade office said it was concerned by 'an overall deterioration in the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in Thailand.'

Apart from rampant copyright violations on books, DVDs and apparel here, the US report said Thailand's generic drug efforts were 'further indications of a weakening of respect for patents.'

Some 30 Thai activists protested today outside the US embassy here to condemn the report.

The activists accused the US Trade Representative's office of grouping Thailand with copyright offenders such as China, Russia and India in retaliation for the government's decision to allow generic versions of AIDS drugs and heart medication.

So-called compulsory licenses are allowed under World Trade Organization rules so that countries can temporarily suspend patent protections on medicines to safeguard public health.

Thailand has issued compulsory licenses for AIDS drugs Kaletra and Efavirenz and popular heart disease medicine Plavix. The government plans to import generic versions of the drugs from India, but could also choose to manufacture the drugs itself.

afp/net