Pharmaceutical Sector

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) regulates the pharmaceutical sector. The Thai pharmaceutical market was valued at USD 1.32 billion in 2004 and is still growing at a very high rate. Locally produced products occupies 65% of the total market share. Amongst the locally produced domestic drugs, generic products account for 46 % and locally produced international brands account for19 %. Thailand is the only country exporting pharmaceutical products within the ASEAN region.

Drug Classification

National List of Essential Drugs

(NLED)
Adaptation of WHOs essential drug list. The list includes 1,400 compounds compared to WHOs 250 compounds. Consists of generic drugs only. Drugs under NLED are purchased only from Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO).

Drug Procurement and Distribution System

Drug procurement system
No central provincial stock, no provincial financial management and no provinial bureaucratic steps to follow.

Drug quality control system

Drugs are sent to regional medical science centre for analysis.

Drug supply system to commune health centre

District hospitals supply drugs to lower commune health centre based on their demand and allocated funds.

Monitoring the districts drug management system

The Provincial Health Offices pharmacists monitors the ordering and sampling of drugs by district hospitals.

Challenge

Reasons for Challenges

The unavailability of raw materials and active ingredients from alternative source. The absence of medicine pricing policy. Non-ethical promotions of drug sales. Some of the other challenges range from drug patents, monopolies, excessive drug use and the inaccessibility of quality drugs.

References
Intellectual Property Rights and Pharmaceuticals: A Thai Perspective on Prices and Technological Capability; Thammasat Economic Journal, Vol.25, No.4., December 2007. Sector Overview: The Pharmaceutical Industry In Thailand; Royal Danish Embassy, Bangkok , June 2006. Essential drugs monitor; Double issue 25 &26, 1998. Mobilization of Domestic Resources for Essential Drugs in Developing Countries: Case Study from Thailand.