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Published on February 28, 2008

Sidelined Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief Dr Siriwat Thiptharadol will fight what he called his unfair transfer to an inactive post in the Health Ministry.

Yesterday he remained "puzzled" at his ouster, saying he had carried out all tasks assigned to him. He believed he was pushed out because of his support for the compulsory licensing of expensive, life-saving drugs.

Siriwat described as "unfair" the order of Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsap to transfer him out of the FDA.

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.

Siriwat will appeal the transfer to the Civil Service Commission. He is considering taking the matter to the Administrative Court.

"I don't know if the reason for my transfer is related to the imposition of compulsory licensing. The only thing I know is I had submitted all information about compulsory licensing and drug-price negotiations with manufacturers to the minister earlier this month. I sent

a memorandum to the minister asking for the time to explain it to him personally.

He never called me," Siriwat said.

Dr Prawase Wasi, a senior medical professional, sup-ported Siriwat and vouched for him personally. "I have known Dr Siriwat since he was a medical student. I can guarantee he is good, and has devoted his time for

the sake of the public. Don't ask me about the minister.

I don't know him. It is a responsibility of the news media to find out if he did this in the public interest," Prawase said.

He encouraged Siriwat to fight the transfer.

Representatives of organisations including the Rural Doctors Club, HIV/Aids groups and the Consumer Foundation yesterday rallied behind Siriwat.

They laid a funeral wreath of artificial, or jan, flowers at the ministry, along with placards attacking the minister for his action.

One of Chaiya's first acts as minister was a promise to review compulsory licensing implemented by previous minister Dr Mongkol na Songkhla.

He said the past government was aware the move hurt trade with the United States. On his second day in office Chaiya told HIV/Aids patients to eat jan flowers if they could not get access to treatment.

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved Chaiya's transfer of Siriwat. The former FDA boss is now an inspector-general, an inactive posting. Chaiya gave no reason for the transfer at that time.

He has since said the move was a result of Siriwat's failure to respond to verbal requests to check contamination of energy drinks and imported pig intestines.

Health and social activists now fear other "good" health officials, such as Government Pharmaceutical Organisation chairman Vichai Chokewiwat and director Dr Withit Attha-chekul, are next for the chop.

The Nation