FOIA document: In 2007, US Ambassador Ralph Boyce was pleased that Abbott withdrew life saving drugs from market in Thailand

In 2007, Thailand was involved in a dispute over the granting of compulsory licenses on medicines, including the patents used for Kaletra, an Abbott drug used in the treatment of AIDS. Kaletra is the brand name for a fixed dose combination of lopinavir and ritonavir (LPV/r) — two drugs invented at Abbott on an NIH grant. In 2007, LPV/r was the preferred combination for protease inhibitor regimes used to treat AIDS. Continue Reading →

Thailand’s Compulsory Licensing Controversy

Between November 2006 and January 2007, Thailand issued compulsory licenses for two AIDS drugs (efavirnz and the combination of lopinavir+ritonavir) and one antihypertension drug (clopidegrel).  The pharmaceutical industry has vehemently objected to these compulsory licenses, and has sought the US… Continue Reading →

Notes from March 16th 2007 U.S. Capitol Briefing on Thailand’s Compulsory Licenses

On Friday, March 16, KEI organized a briefing in the U.S. Capitol on Thailand’s recent compulsory licenses on three drugs; two for HIV/AIDS (Merck’s efavirenz (Stocrin) and Abbott’s lopinavir + ritonavir (Kaletra)) and one for heart disease (Sanofi’s clopidogrel (Plavix)). … Continue Reading →

March 8, 2007 Geneva Q&A Session on Thai White Paper

Knowledge Ecology International: Q&A Session on Thai White Paper (Facts and Evidences on the 10 Burning Issues Related to the Government Use of Patents on Three Patented Essential Drugs in Thailand) Geneva, Switzerland 8 March 2007 Thiru Balasubramaniam On Thursday,… Continue Reading →

U.S. DoS Cable: Brazil’s National Health Council Recommends Compulsory Licensing – August 12, 2005

  R 122031Z AUG 05 – August 12, 2005FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIATO SECSTATE WASHDC 2501SUBJECT: Brazil’s National Health Council Recommends Compulsory Licensing of Antiretrovirals 1. SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 2. (SBU) Summary.  Adding to the tension surrounding negotiations between the ministry of… Continue Reading →