Drug panel: call to axe 2 health experts

Wittaya Kaewparadai

Aids Access Foundation's director Nimitr Tienudom and secretarygeneral of the Foundation for Consumers, Saree Ongsomwang will today meet Witthaya to express their concern over his inclusion of these two health experts in the national drug system development committee.

Previously Witthaya had sent a formal letter to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva proposing the draft of the Prime Minister Office's announcement to establish the development committee with its ten health experts. Witthaya had added the names of the two persons alleged to have been involved in the 1997 drugspurchase scam. Also he proposed representatives from the private sector who do not have any experience in consumer protection.

The delay in establishing a national drug system development committee has affected public access to essential drugs such as Risperidone and Setraline, used in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia symptoms. Both were to have been  added to the national drug list when the committee was established.