Public interest groups in other countries like Thailand have joined the similar groups in India in their campaign against the proposed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and European Union (EU), holding that it will have an impact on the access to medicines across the globe.

Raising concerns on the ongoing discussions for FTA with EU and Japan, a number of health activist groups in Thailand claimed that the impact of FTAs will be on continued and future access to lifesaving medicines produced by Indian pharmaceutical companies.

“At the moment millions of men, women and children worldwide are dependent for the present and future health and well-being on the low cost, quality medicines produced in India. In particular millions of people with HIV are able to lead a healthy life thanks to the antiretroviral drugs produced in India. These drugs are purchased by governments, non-governmental organizations and other agencies for use in treatment programmes in Africa, Asia and South America,” a joint statement by these groups said.

Approximately 50 per cent of the essential medicines that UNICEF distributes in developing countries and 80 per cent of all medicines distributed by the International Dispensary Association (IDA) are manufactured in India. Lesotho buys nearly 95 per cent of all ARVs from India and in Zimbabwe 75 per cent of tenders for medicines for all public sector health facilities are from India, they said.

“Here in Thailand we are particularly concerned about maintaining a continuous supply of Indian generic medicines for use in the National Health Security scheme which ensures free access to treatment for all Thais. Several Indian generic medicines, such as efavirenz and heat-stable lopinavir/ritonavir, are supplied to the public health system under government use compulsory licenses and the National Health Security scheme would face major financial constraints should the supply line of Indian generic medicines be disrupted due to the Indian government accepting TRIPS+ provisions in any future Free Trade Agreements,” the statement said.

The groups included Thai Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, AIDS Access Foundation, Alternative Agriculture Network, Friends of Kidney-failure Patients Club, Cancer Patient Network, Foundation for Consumers, The Rural Pharmacist Foundation, The Rural doctor foundation, Foundation for AIDS Rights, Thai NGO Coalition on AIDS, Drug Study Group, Biodiversity and Community Right Action Thailand, (Biothai), Health Consumer Protection programme, Chulalongkorn University Social Pharmacy Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Drug System Monitoring and Development Program, Chulalongkorn University, Thai Holistic Health Foundation, and FTA Watch.

“With the looming threat of these supply lines being disrupted by TRIPS+ provisions that are likely to be demanded of the Indian Government by FTA negotiators from the European Union and Japan we request that the Indian Government stand firm on their position of refusing all TRIPS+ provision that maybe included in any final agreement. In particular we request that special care is taken to avoid the inclusion of several elements that may affect global access to the supply of current and future medicines produced by Indian pharmaceutical companies,” the groups urged.