U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Ralph Boyce on Monday after talking with Thai Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla said compulsory licensing could be avoided if the Thai government and international pharmaceutical companies work to find a compromise on drug pricing, the Thai News Agency reports (Thai News Agency, 4/23).
The Thai government in November 2006 and January issued compulsory licenses to produce lower-cost versions of Merck's antiretroviral drug Efavirenz and Abbott Laboratories' antiretroviral Kaletra, respectively. Since then, the government and drug companies have continued negotiations (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 3/28). "We respect the Thai government decision to issue compulsory licensing under" World Trade Organization regulations, but "what we would like to see is the negotiations between the Thai government and representatives of major drug companies," Boyce said. He added, "The result of the talks may lead to those companies' decision to lower their price of the drugs that will be affordable to all and that compulsory licensing may not be needed." Mongkol said he plans to travel to the U.S. next month to talk with trade officials and other agencies about the issue (Thai News Agency, 4/23).
Blog master said... Yes , I 'm understand Ralph try to protect US 's profit in Thailand , I would try to understand Monkol too , because I 'm Thai , but I 'm not agree with him about this case , I think he 's fool that used this method to pressure to drug companies , I 'm watching the end of this case what 's going on , if US government have come along . USA would not be surrender absolutely , because another countrys may be use this way the same.
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