ALL ABOUT CHEAPER MEDICINE BILL

DOJ Official statement regarding the cheaper medicine bill

There is no need to have a generics-only provision in the Cheap Medicine Bill based on evidence that more and more Filipinos are buying generic drugs.

• Recent SWS survey said that Filipinos buying generic drugs increased from 47% in 2003 to 54% in 2006.
  
• 45% of Filipinos now say that medicine prices have gone cheaper compared to the 7% who said the same in 2001.
  
• 6 out of 10 Filipinos in the D and E classes have bought or access to generic drugs.
  

In short, more Filipinos are now better informed and are exercising their right to choose the medicines that worked for them and which they can afford. More Filipinos now perceived that generic drugs are just as safe and effective and are perfect substitute for branded ones.

There are other regulatory mechanisms that we can use such as the present reimbursement policy of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation wherein only prescription written in generics is reimbursed.
The thrust of the Department of Health (DOH) is for all Filipinos to have access to safe and quality medicines whether generic or branded as long as they are affordable. By employing intellectual property flexibilities, what we aim is a market where generic and branded drugs prices converge at an affordable level for all Filipinos.

In passing the bill, the DOH urges our lawmakers to give equal priority to the BFAD Strengthening Bill, which will further strengthen it as an institution that can ensure the safety of drugs whether they are generics or branded at all times.

During the 20th year of the Generics Law, the DOH will intensify promotional campaigns to increase consumer acceptance of generics, to encourage more generic-prescribing doctors and to allow generic substitution in our pharmacies.

We now urge our doctors, pharmacists and other health workers to fully support the cheaper medicine bill and the principles that it stands for. We all have one dream for our people and that is they have access to safe, effective, quality and affordable medicines.

SOURCE: http://www.doh.gov.ph/node/1819

The law, officially the "Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008," seeks to:

• prohibit the grant of new patents based only on newly-discovered uses of a known drug substance;

• allow local generics firms to test, produce and register their generic versions of patented drugs, so these can be sold right upon patent expiry ("early working principle");

• allow the government use of patented drugs when the public interest is at stake;

• give the President the power to price ceilings on various drugs, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Health. These drugs include those for chronic illnesses, for prevention of diseases, and those in the Philippine National Drug Formulary (PNDF) Essential Drug List;

• strengthen the BFAD so that it could ensure the safety of medicines, by allowing it to retain its revenues for upgrading of its facilities, equipment and human resources; and

• ensure the availability of affordable medicines by requiring drug outlets to carry a variety of brands for each drug, including those sourced from "parallel importation," to give the consumer more choices.

SOURCE: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080429-133435/UPDATE-Congress-ratifies-cheaper-medicines-bill

Congress passes cheaper medicines bill

Congress on Tuesday passed a law aimed at lowering the price of medicines as part of a series of measures intended to alleviate the rising price of food and other costs. Senator Mar Roxas, one of the proponents of the "Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act" said it would result in "increased competition that will lead towards a lowering of prices as well as assuring quality medicines." Among the provisions are limits to patent protections which will allow local companies to produce generic versions of the more expensive versions of drugs of multinational companies.

SOURCE: ABS-CBNNEWS.COM

This might help if we give the President the power to price ceilings on various drugs & upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Health. These drugs include those for chronic illnesses, for prevention of diseases, and those in the Philippine National Drug Formulary Essential Drug List.

Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) CA