BANGKOK, 23 July 2015 – The Department of Medical Services, in hand with the National Health Security Office (NHSO) and the Government Pharmaceutical Organization, will be providing cancer patients with super-expensive drugs which have been donated by drug manufacturers and distributors.
According to Dr. Suphan Srithamma, director-general of the Department of Medical Services, the donated drugs include Imatinib – used to treat leukemia, severe cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumors – and Nilotinib, which is used for chronic myeloid leukemia.
The Department of Medical Service will take delivery of the donated drugs as well as facilitate their importation, monitor their distribution and report the distribution result to the Customs Department, the Food and Drug Administration and relevant agencies. The NHSO will coordinate the replenishment of the drugs at points of service with the Government Pharmaceutical Organization, to make sure that the drugs are distributed in accordance with the demands from prescribing doctors at each point of service.
