Access to some HIV drugs is increasing in Thailand because of the country’s decision to issue compulsory licenses for certain meds, according to Winai Sawasdiworn, deputy secretary-general of the National Health Security Office, The Bangkok Post reports.
You may recall that, early last year, the Thai government issued a compulsory license to make a lower-cost version [...]

As US Trade Representative Susan Schwab conducts her annual review of global intellectual property rights and protection, a group of 27 House Democrats has written a letter to remind her that compulsory licensing is permissable under World Trade Organization rules and that the real issue to focus on is public health and access to life-saving [...]

In December 2003, Abbott Labs raised the price of its Norvir AIDS drug, which is commonly used in HIV drug cocktails, by 400 percent, creating a firestorm in the AIDS community. The mark-up prompted the Service Employees International Union Health & Welfare Fund to file a class-action lawsuit the next year that alleges the price [...]

At least that’s what one government official says. Compulsory licenses wouldn’t be issued unless the country faces an epidemic-like situation. And India feels that recent applications for CL may not be able to convince the government to take such an extreme step. For instance, Natco Pharma recently applied for a CL to export generic versions [...]

In a move expected to be challenged by pharma, Cancer Patients Aids Association, a non-government organization is planning to seek compulsory licensing in India for about 20 cancer meds made by Roche, Pfizer, Astrazeneca, Glaxo and Novartis, among others, The Economic Times reports.
CPAA, which has received support from several Indian and global NGOs such [...]

The federal judge overseeing the patent battle between Amgen and Roche has ordered that an expert be appointed to recommend how to compare the dosing and prices of their anemia drugs, Reuters reports.
Last October, a federal court jury in Boston found that patents on Amgen’s anemia drugs were valid and that Roche’s Mircera, which has [...]

The goal, of course, is to review Bangkok’s policy of issuing compulsory licenses on patented meds and, consequently, what to do about Thailand’s trade status, The Nation reports. Today’s session comes just one month before the US Trade Rep completes its annual review of trade relations with other countries and, as you may recall, pharma [...]

Now that Thailand’s new government has indicated it will proceed, after all, with plans to issue compulsory licenses for three cancer meds, speculation is growing that the European Commission will pursue litigation under World Trade Organization rules. However, activists who support Thailand’s efforts are circulating a statement from an EU spokesperson that quashes the notion.
According [...]

The move comes after a month of protests against plans by Bangkok’s new government to review the controversial policy of issuing compulsory licenses. Under pressure from health activists and doctors who campaigned to have him sacked, Chaiya Sasomsab, the new Health Minister, decided that overriding patents on three cancer meds would save Thailand more than [...]

This won’t make pharma very happy. Not only will Bangkok’s new government maintain the policy of issuing compulsory licensing for cancer meds, but Bangkok will use it as a key negotiating tactic with drugmakers to reduce prices, The Nation reports.
“The use of compulsory licensing must be continued alongside the negotiation with pharmaceutical companies to reduce [...]