Patients to get generic version of blood drug

Published on August 8, 2007

Dr Vithit Ardhawechakul, GPO managing director, said the successful research was the result of more than 10 years of cooperation with Mahidol University. Patients could now gain access to a cheaper drug and reduce their suffering caused by the conventional injection treat¬ment for the inherited blood dis¬ease.

"The bioequivalent study shows that the efficacy of the new drug is equal to the original ver¬sion, " said Vithit.

Thailand has to import deferiprone at a cost of Bt10,000 to Bt15,000 per head per month. There are 80,000 patients who need the drug and deferiprone expenditure in the country so far amounts to Bt1 billion to Bt1.5 billion

If the GPO could produce its generic version, import costs would decrease to Bt200 million a year or Bt10 per tablet, which is three to six times cheaper than the current market rate.

Vithit said the generic deferiprone was undergoing the registration process at the Food and Drug Administration and hopefully the GPO could produce the drug by the end of the year. Moreover, the GPO expected to export its generic version.

Thailand has the highest rates of thalassemia in the world, with 600,000 confirmed patients and 100,000 more showing symptoms of the disease. Most patients need to receive blood for the remainder of their lives.

Saiphin Phaholyothin , chairwoman of the Thailand Thalassemia Club, said patients needed blood transfusions by chelator to remove iron from their blood.

The chelator syringe has to remain in the patient for five to seven hours a day. Most people suffered greatly from this treatment and have for a long time hoped for other ways to take their medicine, she added.

Khunying Soodsarkorn Tuchinda, president of the Thalassemia Foundation of Thailand, said the government should register deferiprone on the national drug list, which could help patients access the drug more easily.

 "Patients could get more benefits if the GPO puts its deferiprone version on the national drug list," she said.

Duangkamon Sajirawattanakul

The Nation