Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang is disappointed by a pharmaceutical company’s response to the government’s plans to reduce drug prices in South Africa.
”Bully tactics adopted by the company will not undermine our effort to make medicines more affordable,” said Tshabalala-Msimang.
Boehringer Ingelheim — the company that owns the patent for the anti-retroviral Aids drug nevirapine — is reported to have threatened to withdraw investment in South Africa if the government’s new regulations are passed.
Other companies have apparently also expressed concern about the proposed regulations.
The minister said the department was still formulating its regulations, and was acting openly and inclusively. Interested parties had until April 16 to submit their comments and the department had encouraged feedback.
She said all comments would be taken into consideration when the draft regulations were finalised on May 2.
Therefore she was disappointed that Boehringer Ingelheim had not waited for the final regulations before ”threatening” the government.
”It indicates that its attitude has not changed since it launched its legal action against this legislation”.
In 2001 Boehringer Ingelheim, together with 37 other pharmaceutical companies, lost a four year court case against the Medicine and Related Substances Act which provides for the regulation of the prices of medicines.
The minister commented that similar regulations to the ones proposed by her Department existed in many developed countries where Boehringer Ingelheim had interests. She asked why the company had not threatened those governments also.
”The draft regulations have been widely welcomed by consumers, medical aid groups and other parties because they establish a transparent medicine pricing system and make medicine more affordable”, she said. – Sapa