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Published on July 27, 2007

He said yesterday that patients with breast and lung cancers had difficulty accessing effective treatments.

Breast cancer is common among women and lung cancer among men in Thailand.

Compulsory licensing will make the medicines more affordable and more accessible.

Licensing allows governments to force patent, copyright or other exclusive rights-holders to grant use to a state or others.

Usually, the holder receives royalties, either set by law or determined through some form of arbitration.

Mongkol said his ministry's decision to enforce compulsory licensing on three medicines had attracted strong opposition.

The medicines have been used to treat Aids and heart disease.

"We have to wait for the right time," Mongkol said, responding to questions about when the ministry would enforce compulsory licenses for the cancer medicines.

However, he gave an assurance that he would do so before the government's term ends.