Biotech expert urges Thailand to drop CL

He said the policy was an obstacle to creating a friendly environment for foreign biotechnology investors.

"It creates a chill to the investor community because it sends a negative signal. It makes you pause," he said on the sidelines of the 2008 Bio International Convention in San Diego.

Thailand has imposed compulsory licensing (CL) for HIV/Aids, heart-disease and cancer drugs since 2007 to cut the prices of these essential drugs for more than 100,000 patients. Pharmaceutical companies complained of a violation of intellectual property rights and have tried to stop the effort to expand the policy with other life-saving drugs.

Darragh said CL was an obstacle to economic development and Thailand's leadership of biotechnology in Southeast Asia.

"The challenge is that Thailand has stepped out and done something that a few countries have done in compulsory licensing. Yet, you have to lower the risk for investors," he said

He suggested that Thailand change its policy to become a supporter of protecting intellectual property rights, which could persuade foreign companies to invest and expand their businesses in the country.

 Moreover, this would encourage researchers and investors to create new biotechnology products for the world market and bring benefits to Thais.

Darragh said China and India - big generic-drug supporters - had changed their positions as they want to be part of the biotechnology century.

"There's no way to be a leader in biotechnology unless you respect the investment world and do things that drive investment," he added.

 National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology deputy Dr Prasit Palitpolkarnpim insisted that Thailand's CL policy would not affect foreign investment as Darragh maintained. He said the amount of foreign investment in biotechnology depended on the sustainability of projects, not CL.

The 2008 Bio International Convention is considered the major biotechnology convention in North America. The Thailand Pavilion in the exhibition area was composed of eight companies showing Thailand as a global medical hub.