Clinton supports Thai patent-busting

[TotallyOz]

Clinton supports Thai patent-busting

 

New York (BangkokPost.com compiled from agency reports)

"No company will ever die because of the high price premium for Aids drugs in middle-income countries," said former US president Bill Clinton, with Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla at his side. "But patients may."

 

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Full story:

 

Former US President Bill Clinton, standing next to Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla, has endorsed recent decisions by Thailand and Brazil to break patents held by American pharmaceutical companies.

 

Mr Clinton said prices charged by drug companies are "exorbitant," despite claims by the companies they are reasonable.

 

"No company will ever die because of the high price premium for Aids drugs in middle-income countries," he said - "but patients may."

 

"I believe in intellectual property ... but that need not prevent us from getting essential life-saving medicines to those who need them in low- and middle-income countries alike."

 

Mr Clinton unveiled a deal with two Indian drugs firms to cheaply produce HIV/Aids drugs for 66 countries.

 

Mr Clinton said seven million people in those countries were in need of treatment for HIV/Aids, but could not afford it.

 

The Clinton Foundation's agreement will cut the cost of what are known as second line anti-retrovirals by 25-50%.

 

"Our announcement today responds directly to these challenges and sets the foundation not only for treatment for many more people but treatment that is more equitable, more affordable and more effective," he said.

 

Second line drugs are used when cheaper and earlier forms of treatment fail.

 

Mr Clinton says the prices of second-line treatments negotiated by his foundation will fall on average by 25 per cent in low-income countries and 50 per cent in middle-income countries.

 

His foundation has also negotiated a deal allowing the one-pill-a-day, first-line treatment to be made available for less than $US1 a day for developing countries, a 45 per cent saving on the current price in Africa.

 

"This drug represents the best chance that science has to offer," he said.

 

United States trade officials last week put Thailand on a watch list for countries inadequately safeguarding the intellectual property rights of American companies, noting the overriding of drug patents.

 

Tido von Shoen-Angerer, who leads the campaign by Doctors Without Borders for access to medicines, said he was unsure whether the recent developments would encourage developing countries to exercise their rights under international trade rules more freely to make or import generic drugs.

 

“There’s a strong chilling effect from the U.S. action,” he said.

 

Drug company officials yesterday strongly defended their policies of charging better-off developing countries more for Aids drugs than they did for poor countries, as well as the role of patents, which give inventor companies a monopoly on the sale of a drug, in stimulating the development of new drugs.

 

Jennifer Smoter, a spokeswoman for Abbott, said patents were needed “to ensure innovation in the future” but declined to respond to Mr. Clinton’s comment that “Abbott has been almost alone in its hard-line position here over what I consider to be a life and death matter.”

 

http://bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=118628

[Guest wowpow]

Bravo Bill.

[Guest Geezer]

Slick Willie has always been quite enthusiastic about doing good with other people’s money.

[TotallyOz]

Slick Willie has always been quite enthusiastic about doing good with other people’s money.

 

I was happy to help him out with his legal trust fund a few years back. I hope it went to good use.

 

I also hope his wife kicks ass this year.

[Gaybutton]

I also hope his wife kicks ass this year.

 

Where's Ross Perot when you need him?

[Guest Alan]

Where's Ross Perot when you need him?

 

 

His name may be Michael Bloomberg this time. Although, I like Bloomberg, I hope he doesn't make a third party run as it could hurt the Democratic chances. As for Clinton, I second whoever said, BRAVO.

 

[Guest pete1969]

deleted

[TotallyOz]

His name may be Michael Bloomberg this time. Although, I like Bloomberg, I hope he doesn't make a third party run as it could hurt the Democratic chances. As for Clinton, I second whoever said, BRAVO.

 

I actually like Bloomberg as well. At one point I liked John McCain but as the days have gone by he has been catering more and more to the right of his party. I like Clinton as she has balls of steel. However, my real preference is Gore. He won once and he has grown in popularity. I think a Gore/Clinton campaign would be hot. My heart still belongs to Kucinich. For me he is the cats meow. He just doesn't roar as loud as the other lions in the race.

 

I was in NYC when Rudy was there and I will say, crime was down and he did clean up the city. I would not be heart broken if he were at the top of his party's ticket.

 

Lastly, I saw Drew Barrymore on TV and she is now an Ambassador for World Food Fund and I just can't seem to not go see any movie she is in no matter how stupid or corny I know it is going to be. She would get my vote just based on I can't seem to get enough of her.

[Guest Silom]

I have only seen Thai media report that Bill Clinton supports Thailand's patent-breaking. I have not seen international media report it, and I have not seen any direct qoute from Clinton.

 

Thai media quote the Thai Health Minister Mongkol who CLAIMS Clinton supports Thailand's action, which is not the same.

 

I doubt Clinton endorsed patent-breaking. He supports cheaper HIV drugs in general but patent-breaking is a political hot potato.

 

 

 

[Up2u]

I have only seen Thai media report that Bill Clinton supports Thailand's patent-breaking. I have not seen international media report it, and I have not seen any direct qoute from Clinton.

 

Thai media quote the Thai Health Minister Mongkol who CLAIMS Clinton supports Thailand's action, which is not the same.

 

I doubt Clinton endorsed patent-breaking. He supports cheaper HIV drugs in general but patent-breaking is a political hot potato.

 

It's been widely reported:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/world/09...IDS&oref=slogin

 

[Guest wowpow]

"I have only seen Thai media report that Bill Clinton supports Thailand's patent-breaking. I have not seen international media report it, and I have not seen any direct qoute from Clinton." silom, 1st posting

 

You may indeed not have seen. Most likely because you did not look. A Google search on 'clinton backs thailand' will show plenty of examples of international coverage.

 

For some strange reason US newspapers did not pick up on this too much?

 

Welcome to the hurly burly of GayThailand Message Board.

 

[Guest Silom]

The press conference was about Clinon announcing a reduced price deal for HIV meds. Thai Health Minister Mongkol stood next to him.

 

I did a Google search before posting here but could not find an actual quote where Clinton said he backed patent-breaking specifically. The NY Times says he "forcefully embraced" what Thailand had done but they don't quote him saying so.

 

The Clinton foundation web site doesn't mention patent breaking, at least not anything I saw during a quick visit.

 

The Guardian in the UK quotes Mongkol saying Clinton supports patent breaking, but it doesn't quote Clinton:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/aids/story/0,,2075628,00.html

 

It is the same in the International Herald Tribune:

 

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/09/...-AIDS-Drugs.php

 

Deutche-Presse Agentur calls it "Clinton's alledged support for Thailand's compulsory licensing".

 

I would like to know what Clinton said, not what Mongkol claims Clinton said.

[Up2u]

The press conference was about Clinon announcing a reduced price deal for HIV meds. Thai Health Minister Mongkol stood next to him.

 

I did a Google search before posting here but could not find an actual quote where Clinton said he backed patent-breaking specifically. The NY Times says he "forcefully embraced" what Thailand had done but they don't quote him saying so.

 

The Clinton foundation web site doesn't mention patent breaking, at least not anything I saw during a quick visit.

 

The Guardian in the UK quotes Mongkol saying Clinton supports patent breaking, but it doesn't quote Clinton:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/aids/story/0,,2075628,00.html

 

It is the same in the International Herald Tribune:

 

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/09/...-AIDS-Drugs.php

 

Deutche-Presse Agentur calls it "Clinton's alledged support for Thailand's compulsory licensing".

 

I would like to know what Clinton said, not what Mongkol claims Clinton said.

 

"Standing next to Thailand’s health minister, Mr. Clinton also forcefully endorsed recent decisions by Thailand and Brazil to break patents held by American pharmaceutical companies that are charging prices Mr. Clinton described as exorbitant, but that drug company officials said were reasonable.

 

“No company will live or die because of high price premiums for AIDS drugs in middle-income countries, but patients may,” he said."

 

....trust us he said it. It was on American TV.

 

[Guest Silom]

"Standing next to Thailand’s health minister, Mr. Clinton also forcefully endorsed recent decisions by Thailand and Brazil to break patents held by American pharmaceutical companies that are charging prices Mr. Clinton described as exorbitant, but that drug company officials said were reasonable.

 

“No company will live or die because of high price premiums for AIDS drugs in middle-income countries, but patients may,” he said."

 

....trust us he said it. It was on American TV.

 

OK. I looked up ABC News and they had the Clinton video and quote. Case closed.

[Guest GayPattayan]

What many people considering the "breaking" or "busting" of the patents for HIV and heart drugs seem to overlook is that this procedure ("compulsory licensing") is completely and totally provided for in the World Trade Organization's treaties and rulings, and Thailand appears to have followed the exact "letter of the law" in its declaration of urgency and offer to pay reasonable contributions for drugs it produces under the compulsory license provided for in the World Trade Organization's own policies and procedures.

 

In this case it is provided for in the TRIPS agreement (Trade Related aspects of Intellectual Property provisions). This is the first Thai government that has had the guts to use this provision of the law, but now they are starting to look into using it also it for other provisions not related to AIDS -- for instance, certain cancer drugs the cost of which is way beyond the ability of many Thai citizens to pay. Unfortunately, the U.S., the home country for many of the pharmaceutical industry companies, is trying to defend the rights of the companies rather than the rights of the Thai government and the Thai people. --G.P.

[Bob]

Absolutely correct, GP. And, if I was the Interior Minister of any country with a health crisis on its hands, I'd clearly exercise the rights under the TRIPS act to make sure those in critical need got the drugs they needed. My loyalty would be to those citizens in need and not to either the US or the pharmaceutical companies.

 

Easy choice for me and, given that exercising the TRIPS rights is perfectly legal under international law, I'm at a loss as to why some posters (mainly in other threads and other boards) start crying foul, patent infringement, or theft.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Where's Ross Perot when you need him?

 

 

Did we ever really need Ross Perot?

[Up2u]

"Unfortunately, the U.S., the home country for many of the pharmaceutical industry companies, is trying to defend the rights of the companies rather than the rights of the Thai government and the Thai people. --G.P."

 

The U.S. Government would be reneging on it's responsbility if it did not go to bat and defend the interests of a tax paying U.S pharmecutical company or industry. No surprises here.

 

Personally, I wish these companies would defend their world-wide patents by simply providing these drugs at their cost or at a small mark-up. It would certainly be good PR for them and put them on the moral high ground.