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