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Published on February 29, 2008

" I did not say that I would withdraw the compulsory licensing for cancer drugs. I told Dr Siriwat he has to continue his mission as chief of the committee to negotiate with the drug firms for price reductions," he said.

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved Chaiya's transfer of Siriwat. The former FDA boss is now an inspector general with the health ministry, an inactive posting.

Chaiya said the reason Siriwat was transferred was his failure to respond to a verbal request to check contamination of energy drinks and imported pig intestines.

"Siriwat still is a key man to negotiate with the pharmaceutical companies to reduce the price of drugs, particularly those that will have compulsory licensing imposed on them, even if he has been moved to the position of inspector general," he said.

Siriwat worked on the previous government's policy of imposing compulsory licensing on expensive HIV/Aids, cancer and heart treatments.

The policy allowed poor patients access to essential drugs at much cheaper prices.

But, according to the ministerial protocol, the chairperson of the negotiation committee for price reduction of patented drugs must be the Food and Drug Administration's general-secretary.

Chaiya said he would revise the ministerial protocol and issue the new official order for Siriwat to continue his position as a chairperson of this committee.

He did not oppose Siriwat's appeal for his unfair transfer to the Civil Service Commission and the Administrative Court because Siriwat has the right to do so.

Siriwat said he still has not received the official letter from the Health Minister assigning him to continue his mission as the chairperson of the negotiation committee.

However, two other senior health officials, the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) chairman Vichai Chokewiwat and director Dr Withit Atthachekul, are expected to be transferred.

Chaiya said he would not remove Withit as the GPO director but that Vichai might be replaced as the agency's board chairman, saying it was a tradition for GPO board members to resign when a new health minister assumed office.

Meanwhile, Vichai said he would not resign from his position because the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation Act states that the term of GPO board members, including the chairperson, is for five years.

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation