Health advocacy groups have called for the Ministry of Commerce to include drug price control measures, including price structuring, in a revised drugs bill.
Niyada Kiatying-Angsulee, a pharmacist and manager of Thai Drug Watch, said yesterday the ministry had failed to announce any measures to control drug prices despite drugs being listed under the Prices of Goods and Services Act in 1999.
This act allows the ministry to determine drug prices and requires drug companies to reveal cost details of manufacturing, marketing, and import and export plans, among others.
Ms Niyada said other controlled goods declared under the act such as sanitary napkins, pesticides and dishwashing liquids have price control measures as a backup.
Aids Access Foundation director Nimit Tian-udom also criticised Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Yuthavong's recent call to remove a clause of the new drugs bill requiring drug companies to reveal their pricing structure during the patent registration process. Mr Yongyuth had argued this clause may violate international trade principles.
"It's inappropriate for the government to remove this mechanism from the bill. If it is taken out of the law, there will be no mechanism to control the price," Mr Nimit said.
He cited the case of an HIV drug manufactured by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation, which has been sold to hospitals at 900 baht for 30 pills. However, the cost can reach 20,000 baht in some private hospitals.
Under current circumstances, he said, consumers do not have knowledge of fair drug prices.
Mr Nimit criticised the delay in the bill scrutiny process that he said might have been caused by conflicts of interest between some policy-makers and private drug companies.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha should urge cabinet members to clarify their relationships with drug companies, he said. If anyone is found to have a conflict of interest, they should not be involved.
The groups plans to meet Minister of Commerce Gen Chatchai Sarikalya on July 2 to further press its demand for drug price control measures.