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Published on August 8, 2007

The Intellectual Property Department and six other agencies will next month step up a crackdown on pirated medicines considered a public-health threat.

Department agents discovered fake imported drugs for sale at many popular tourist spots.

The government is going on the offensive against knock-off pharmaceuticals, said director-general Puangrat Asavapisit.

And a Food and Drug Administration report said 33 sellers of fake drugs were arrested and 340,900 items seized in the first half of the year. Last year saw 285 cases and the seizure of 74,500 items.

Pirated drugs are common and easily imported from neighbouring countries. They are sold freely in Pattaya, Koh Samui, Phuket and Bangkok's Patpong Night Market.

Sales of bogus erectile-dysfunction treatment Viagra are widespread, the department said.

Also available are imitation versions of expensive medicines for heart disease, cholesterol problems and cancer. Painkillers are easily copied, too.

Puangrat said the government aggressively suppressed pirated medicines. The department is working together with other government divisions and private-sector associations, and this cooperation will be enhanced by the signing of an agreement between relevant parties on September 10.

US drug giant Pfizer has complained to the department that its investigations determined half of all Viagra sold in Thailand was imitation and violated its patent rights.

Puangrat said phoney medicines for sale here were not manufactured in the Kingdom. Nevertheless, the crackdown is necessary to protect the nation's image and consumers.

The department is also looking for incidents of trademark violation, while the police are seeking to shut down importers of counterfeit pharmaceuticals to hobble the trade, she added.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation