Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla yesterday said his ministry would enforce compulsory licences on more necessary medicines.

Speaking at a public forum, he disclosed that he would announce the compulsory licences on drugs for killer diseases such as cancer, after the United States Trade Representative (USTR) released its update about the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) programme.

Designed to promote economic growth in the developing world, the programme provides preferential duty-free entry for more than 4,650 products from 143 beneficiary countries and territories.

Earlier this year, the USTR downgraded Thailand's trade status to Priority Watch List citing widespread property-rights violations.

Thai business entrepreneurs have expressed concern that the USTR may deprive them of some privileges.

"We will enforce compulsory licences only where necessary without causing damage to patent holders," Mongkol said.

The public forum was held at Parliament House. The National Legislative Assembly's committee on public participation, Chulalongkorn University's Pharmaceutical Science Faculty and the National Health Security Office organised the event.

Mongkol said the GSP update was expected around July.

Currently, the Public Health Ministry has already enforced the compulsory licence on Aids medicine efavirenz owned by MSD (Thailand).

"Negotiations are ongoing satisfactorily," Mongkol said.

The Public Health Ministry has also announced that it will enforce compulsory licences on Aids drug Kaletra and the heart medicine Plavix.

Mongkol said there was little chance of striking successful negotiations with the patent holders of these two drugs, because they still quoted a price much higher than generic drugs.

Associate Professor Wittaya Kulsomboon of Chulalongkorn University said the US had enforced compulsory licences much more than Thailand did.

"Why didn't the same move in the US attract criticism?" he said.

However, Bantoon Wongsilachote of the Thai Chamber of Commerce said it would be more appropriate to involve the Intellectual Property Department or the Commerce Ministry in licensing.

In a related development, Government Pharmaceutical Organisation chairman Dr Wichai Chokewiwat said the Thai government would soon purchase Aluvia - which can be used in place of Kaletra - from India. "Aluvia is easier to maintain in Thailand's weather," he said.

He said the government would likely purchase Clopidogrel - the generic name of Plavix - also from India.

Wichai said it would take about one month to register Aluvia and Kaletra with the Food and Drug Administration.