Monopoly of medical cannabis not in public interest: Experts
Authorities overseeing a flood of patents for medical cannabis must consider the public interest, otherwise a commercial monopoly of the medicines and cultivation would result, experts warn.
Advocacy group Thai Drug Watch said yesterday (Jan, 7) that the Intellectual Property Department is jeopardising public access to cannabinoid medicines and other drugs by limiting its focus to the economic benefits for big business. This would place full control over the entire product chain of medical cannabis in the hands of transnational pharmaceutical companies, it added.
Pratch Rujivanarom
