Thailand "will not end" compulsory licenses

Thailand's Public Health Minister, Chavarat Charnviakul, has stated his intention to resist attempts by France-based drug major Sanofi-Aventis to have the previous, military-backed government's populist policy of compulsory licensing of cardiovascular and oncology products. The Bangkok Post reported that the French firm had offered to compensate Thailand's Government Pharmaceutical Organization for the added cost of the branded products compared with copy drugs made in India.

The change of government since the restoration of democratic rule has led to the abandoning of new compulsory licenses being issued, a trend which had expanded from antiretrovirals to cover several therapy areas (Marketletters passim). However, despite some indications that the government would like to improve its international reputation for upholding intellectual property rights, significant public opposition has prevented any changes to established compulsory licenses issued in the past three years.