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The WHO Director General  Dr. Margaret Chan, has sent  a letter to
Thailand's Health Minister expressing regret for  the embarrassment caused
to  his government by remarks  she was reported to have made in Bangkokthat
were  critical of the compulsory  licenses granted by the government for
three medicines.

The letter follows the  deep offence that Dr. Chan's comments had caused
the government and particularly the Minister of Public  Health.

Dr. Chan's reported  comments had also caused  outrage among international
health NGOs and grassroots  health movements worldwide, especially groups
representing people living with HIV-AIDS.  More than 400 groups and
individuals have sent her a protest letter asking her to  change her views.

In her letter, Dr. Chan  assures the Health Minister that its issuance of
compulsory  licenses is "entirely the  prerogative of the government, and
fully in line with the TRIPS  agreement", that the WHO  "unequivocally
supports the use by developing countries of the flexibilities within the
TRIPS agreement",  including the use of compulsory licensing, and that
"there is no requirement for countries  to negotiate with patent holders
before issuing a compulsory  licence."

The Director General  however repeats the main theme of her speeches when
she was in  Bangkokrecently, that the multinational drug companies are
"part of the solution" and  that it would be  "pragmatic" for the
government have prior negotiations with  them.
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