US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6677

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006677 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EB/TPP/MTA/IPC, EUR/SE, OES/IHA, AND NEA/NGA 
DEPT PASS USTR FOR MARK WU/LISA ERRION 
DEPT PASS LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
DEPT PASS USPTO FOR ELAINE WU 
DEPT PASS FDA 
USDOC FOR ITA/MAC/DDEFALCO 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SOCI, ETRD, KIPR, SENV, TU 
SUBJECT:  Ambassador Discusses Iraq Reconstruction, 
Public Health, and IPR With Health Minister 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
 
1. (SBU) In their first meeting, Health Minister Recep 
Akdag told the Ambassador that Turkey wanted to 
contribute to Iraq reconstruction by building hospitals 
in Kirkuk and Baghdad.  He identified decreasing 
infant/childbirth mortality, public education on 
AIDS/HIV and curbing smoking as public health 
priorities.  The Ambassador raised data exclusivity and 
other problems in the pharmaceuticals industry.  The 
Minister acknowledged that he was following the data 
exclusivity issue closely, but did not state his views 
on whether and when Turkey would implement protection. 
End Summary. 
 
 
Building Hospitals in Iraq 
-------------------------- 
 
 
2. (SBU) The Minister told the Ambassador that Turkey 
wanted to assist Iraq's health system by building small 
hospitals in Kirkuk and Baghdad.  He noted that several 
members of parliament recently visited Iraq as part of a 
Turkish Red Crescent delegation to investigate possible 
assistance, and that work had already begun on a 
hospital for Kirkuk.  Akdag said that security and 
finance are constraints to expanding aid in this area. 
Noting that he had recently met one of the MPs involved 
in these projects, the Ambassador responded that he 
welcomed Turkey's contribution in reconstruction of 
Iraq's health sector. 
 
 
Public Health Issues 
-------------------- 
 
 
3. (U) Infant/Childbirth Mortality:  The Minister stated 
that continued high infant and maternal mortality in 
childbirth are serious problems, particularly in eastern 
and southeastern Turkey.  The GOT is trying to address 
the problem through higher salaries for health service 
providers in those areas and introducing a family 
physician system in Turkey.  Akdag said the GOT also 
aims to encourage more breastfeeding of infants. 
 
 
4. (U) AIDS:  He said there are only 1,600 registered 
AIDS cases in Turkey, but the true number is higher. 
Akdag identified foreign tourists and sex workers as 
contributing to the spread of AIDS in Turkey.  He opined 
that the Turkish public is not well-informed about the 
disease, and said the Ministry would increase public 
information efforts in the coming year. 
 
 
5. (U) Other Issues:  Akdag said Turkish legislation on 
smoking in public areas is restrictive, but not well- 
enforced.  He said the Ministry was working on an anti- 
smoking campaign.  Other important issues are clean 
drinking water, a problem especially in rural areas, and 
air quality, improved in recent years through greater 
use of natural gas. 
 
 
Pharmaceuticals and Intellectual Property 
----------------------------------------- 
 
 
6. (SBU) The Ambassador raised problems facing research- 
based pharmaceuticals manufacturers, particularly lack 
of data exclusivity protection, price controls, 
transparency and the possibility that patent protection 
could be watered down.  The Ambassador pointed out that 
these problems are emerging as obstacles in our 
bilateral relationship in the context of the Special 301 
review of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, 
as well as in Turkey's aspirations to join the European 
Union.  The Ambassador acknowledged the GOT's need to 
curb health care costs, but urged Akdag to bear in mind 
the long-term costs of weak IPR protection as foreign 
pharmaceuticals manufacturers may opt not to launch new 
drugs in Turkey in the future.  Weak IPR protection also 
undermines the GOT's efforts to strengthen the 
investment climate and attract foreign investment.  The 
Ambassador urged the Minister to meet with research- 
based companies and to take their views into account in 
formulating pharmaceuticals sector policy. 
 
 
7. (SBU) The Minister agreed on the importance of 
transparent policies and said he had met with 
representatives of the research-based drug manufacturers 
association on these issues.  He said he was following 
the data exclusivity issue closely, but that the Health 
Ministry was only one of several agencies sitting on a 
GOT commission to decide on a course of action. 
 
 
8. (SBU) In response to a question from the Ambassador 
on bioequivalence of generic drugs, the Minister 
responded that the Ministry will exclude from 
reimbursement pharmaceuticals which do not pass a review 
of bioequivalence with the original medication.  Akdag 
said he has accelerated review of bioequivalence 
applications, claiming that he has approved more drugs 
in his seven months as Minister than during the previous 
three years. 
Edelman