Bitter Pills:Medicines & The Third World Poor | Page 229

But Pfizer has also paid comparatively higher prices, e.g. Taka 1,280 for oxytetracycline (per
Kg CIF) compared to Taka 610 paid by local manufacturer, Albert David.
96

R. Bower, Managing Director Squibb of Bangladesh Ltd., personal communication, 3 May
1982.

97

CIF prices per kg for trimethoprim: Square - Taka 1,700 IC1 (for Wellcome) - Taka 9,000.
Dr. Arnold Worlock, Group Marketing Director, The Wellcome Foundation Ltd., comments:
"On the subject of your query relating to the sale of trimethoprim in Bangladesh, we are fully
aware that trimethoprim may now be purchased from sources other than the Wellcome
Foundation Ltd., at prices which are considerably lower than our own. Our price includes
necessarily an R & D cost element which does not arise in the case of trimethoprim which is
shipped by companies that have not had to sustain over many years, technical and marketing
risks in the discovery and development of the product. (No doubt you know that the cost of
discovering and developing a new pharmaceutical substance is now estimated at £35 million
or more.) Our price includes of course the stamp of Wellcome's quality control, which may
not be available in all the cheap imitations of brand-name products whose patents have run
out." (Personal communication, 28 May 1982.)

98

Dr. Hye, whilst Director, Drug Administration Bangladesh, in interview with the author, Delhi,
20 October 1980. Wellcome were compelled to reduce the price of trimethoprim from Taka
9000 to Taka 7700 per kg. "after a lot of argument and a few long-distance phone calls".
(Dr. Hye, personal communication, 20 April 1982) Septrin (cotrimoxazole BP) is a combination
of trimethoprim (80mg) and sulphamethoxazole (400mg).

99

CIF prices per kg. for levamisole:
Opsonin
Taka
Square
Taka
ICI
Taka

100

1,081
2,422
5,400

Peter Cunliffe, ICI Pharmaceuticals Division, personal communication, 11 February 1982.

101

Ibid.

102

Dr. Hye, personal communication, 20 April 1982.

103

Dr. Hye in interview with the author, 20 October 1980.

104

Comparative prices during 1979/80 (all per kg CIF) for Metronidazole:
Chemist Lab
Taka
266
Square
Taka
775
B PI
Taka
1,395
May and Baker tell us they are supplying metronidazole to Bangladesh at a price as low as
they can afford in relation to UK production costs which are not comparable with those of
Eastern Europe or China. (Mr. Washburton and Mr. Walker, in interview with author, 5 July
1982.)

105

- Import prices per kg CIF:
BPI
Therapeutics
from Cyanamid

Taka
Taka

648
1,680

The Drug Administration released the first consignment of 38 kg with a severe warning and
the company subsequently reduced its price to Taka 1,100. (Dr Hye, personal communication,
20 April 1982.)
- Cyanamid advise us that they no longer supply this raw material to Bangladesh, "therefore
comment with respect to purchase requirements from Therapeutics are no longer relevant".
(Mrs Barri M. Blauvelt, Area Manager Far East Medical Products, American Cyanamid
Company, personal communication, 17 May 1982.)
106

Dr Hye, "Drug Policy and Management", (undated mimeo based on a report prepared earlier
for WHO)

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