Analysis of Situation and Self-Reliance of Medicine in Thailand after the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Thailand’s drug system has been established for ten years. Nowadays, there are questions concern about stability, drug security and self-reliance of the system, especially situation under the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. This study aimed to analyze the country’s drug system in term of situation and problems, and formulate policy proposals. It was conducted as a documentary research. Data were gathered from research papers and related articles together with a study of information on drug administration practices in both normal and emergency situations from the public health sectors. Results of this study revealed that relying capacity of Thailand’s drug system was still at low level. There was low domestic drug production, and almost all medicines were generic drugs. New high-value drugs were still imported. However, the development of herbal medicine industry and bio-pharmaceuticals had been encouraged and the Necessary Drug Access Strategy (2012-2020) was implemented. Moreover, during the COVID-19 outbreak, the Ministry of Public Health had set up a working group under the Medical and Public Health Emergency Operations Center to combat the spread of COVID-19 and to administrate drugs for easyaccessibility,Nevertheless, actions had not yet been able to achieve the objectives of ensuring drug security and self-reliance in the country. Recommendations from this study include measures to reduce drug costs, planning and promoting self-reliance of each health region in term of both herbal production and administration, measures on planning and promoting research and domestic drug production, including herbal drug production and excipients from resources in country, and also construct logistics networks to complete the supply chain from planting, to product development, marketing, research and development and investment in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry for sustainable development.