Government Pharmaceutical Organization

Government Pharmaceutical Organization
องค์การเภสัชกรรม
Agency overview
Preceding agency
  • Government Pharmaceutical Laboratory
Headquarters Ratchathewi, Bangkok, Thailand
Employees 2,812[1]:104
Minister responsible
  • Dr Nopporn Cheanklin, MD, Managing Director[2]
Parent department Ministry of Public Health
Website GPO

The Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) (Thai: องค์การเภสัชกรรม; RTGS: ong kan phesatchakam) is a Thai state enterprise which manufactures pharmaceutical products in Thailand. In 2011, the GPO netted a profit of 1.6 billion baht from the sale of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.[1]:87 As of 2011, the GPO employed 2,812 persons. In 2016, the organization produced drugs at two government-owned factories.[3]

GPO makes and sells four categories of products: medicines; antiretrovirals; chemicals/test kits/natural products; and preventive medicines.[1]:55 Besides Thailand, it markets its products in Nigeria, Ghana, Bhutan, Somalia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Vietnam.[4]

The GPO gives Thailand significant leverage in its price negotiations with foreign drug suppliers.[5][6]

Medical marijuana

The GPO is leading an effort to convince the military government to approve marijuana research so that the GPO can market it for medical use. The move would make Thailand the first country in Asia to legalize medical cannabis. Dr. Nopporn Cheanklin, Managing Director of the GPO, said that, "The best strains of cannabis in the world 20 years ago were from Thailand, and now Canada has developed this strain..., we can't claim that ours is the best in the world anymore,...That's why we must develop our strain to...compete with theirs." The government's cabinet of ministers in May 2018 gave the green light to amend the country's drug laws to allow research on medicinal marijuana. The bill is currently being debated in the National Legislative Assembly. Current Thai laws are tough on both the sale and use of marijuana. Possession of cannabis in Thailand could land its owner in jail for up to 15 years as the plant is a category-5 narcotic drug along with psychoactive mushrooms and kratom, a psychoactive plant similar to opiates that is native to Thailand.[7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Annual Report, 2554/2011 (2554/2011 ed.). Bangkok: Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO). Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  2. ↑ "Interview: Dr. Nopporn Cheanklin – Managing Director, The Government Pharmaceutical Organization, Thailand". PharmaBoardroom. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  3. ↑ "Our Factories". Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO). Archived from the original on 5 February 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  4. ↑ "Company Overview of The Government Pharmaceutical Organization". Bloomberg Business. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  5. ↑ Fuller, Thomas (2007-04-11). "Thailand takes on drug industry, and may be winning". New York Times. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  6. ↑ "Thailand to sell generic Viagra drug: officials". Medical Press. AFP. September 26, 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  7. ↑ Chuwiruch, Natnicha (17 July 2018). "Thailand Wants to Have Its (Hash) Cake and Eat It Too". Bloomberg. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
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