HONG KONG -- Thailand's new health minister announced Monday that he would urge the Thai government to continue to ignore patents on several cancer drugs, disappointing big pharmaceutical companies that had hoped Bangkok might roll back a policy of overriding patents in the name of public health.

The drugs' makers include Roche Holding AG and Novartis of Switzerland and Sanofi-Aventis of France.

Suphan Srithamma, a spokesman for the Thai health ministry, said that Minister Chaiya Sasomsup has decided to support the previous government's decision to ignore four cancer drug patents in a bid to cut the cost of medicines for the Thai people. The health ministry will make its recommendation to the Thai cabinet Tuesday, according to Dr. Suphan.

Thailand's previous health minister, Mongkol na Songkhla, decided in early January to issue compulsory licenses for four drugs: Novartis's imatinib, also known as Gleevec; Novartis's breast cancer drug letrozole, whose brand name is Femara; Sanofi-Aventis's docetaxel, marketed as Taxotere and used to fight lung and breast cancer; and Roche's erlotinib, whose trade name is Tarceva.

By NICHOLAS ZAMISKA

March 10, 2008 2:42 p.m.

continued

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1205158861...=googlenews_wsj

just when were all trying to stop smoking as well!!!

HONG KONG -- Thailand's new health minister announced Monday that he would urge the Thai government to continue to ignore patents on several cancer drugs, disappointing big pharmaceutical companies that had hoped Bangkok might roll back a policy of overriding patents in the name of public health.

The drugs' makers include Roche Holding AG and Novartis of Switzerland and Sanofi-Aventis of France.

Suphan Srithamma, a spokesman for the Thai health ministry, said that Minister Chaiya Sasomsup has decided to support the previous government's decision to ignore four cancer drug patents in a bid to cut the cost of medicines for the Thai people. The health ministry will make its recommendation to the Thai cabinet Tuesday, according to Dr. Suphan.

Thailand's previous health minister, Mongkol na Songkhla, decided in early January to issue compulsory licenses for four drugs: Novartis's imatinib, also known as Gleevec; Novartis's breast cancer drug letrozole, whose brand name is Femara; Sanofi-Aventis's docetaxel, marketed as Taxotere and used to fight lung and breast cancer; and Roche's erlotinib, whose trade name is Tarceva.

By NICHOLAS ZAMISKA

March 10, 2008 2:42 p.m.

continued

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1205158861...=googlenews_wsj

just when were all trying to stop smoking as well!!!

I am probably missing the bigger picture, plus I'm not a shareholder, but I applaud the Thai Govts position [ for a change!]--I know these companies spend 'a fortune' to develop thes drugs but, jeez, they could price them so that the Third World could also afford them.

"I know these companies spend 'a fortune' to develop thes drugs but, jeez, they could price them so that the Third World could also afford them."

Some companies charge a lot less for certain drugs, mainly HIV, in countries with a per capita or GDP below a certain level

As for cancer drugs - usually very expensive though and not seen a a public health issue in most countries.

How much the drugs companies will lose from the oncology drugs in just one country ie Thailand is neglible. I think they just do not want the flood gates opened.

It wil not be the Thai's producing them though - India but they want their own drugs industry to develop - it was all generics before but they want to move up the ladder and will not want to leave themselves open to anything.