In a letter to Sarah Walden of People and Planet, Gareth Thomas from the UKs Department for International Development (DfID) supported the decision by Thailand to issue a compulsory license for HIV medications.

The letter states “we continue to be a strong supporter of the right of developing countries, including Thailand, to implement the TRIPS agreement, and particularly of their right to use TRIPS flexibilities to ensure affordable access to medicines to meet public needs”. It continued “we support Thailand’s right to use compulsory licensing provisions in order to protect public health, and in particular to promote access to medicines for all” and added “we agree that Thailand’s stated use of compulsory licensing provision has not broken any WTO rules…”.

Source: letter from DfID to People and Planet (22 May 2007)