MANILA - Drug companies under the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) on Saturday submitted their proposal to slash prices of 21 medicines in the Department of Health's (DOH) recommended Maximum Retail Price (MRP) list.
The PHAP met the deadline given by Malacañang for them to submit a proposal on how to make commonly prescribed medicines cheaper to the people.
PHAP executive director Reiner Gloor said the proposal was submitted Saturday morning to the DOH and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Essentially, the proposal would slash the prices of 21 medicines, but not necessarily by 50%. Some could be lower or higher than 50%, Gloor said.
Gloor admitted their proposal would have a 40% to 50% impact on their sales, but it will be a welcome development if it drives more people to buy.
He said the PHAP, as an industry, supports the goal of improving healthcare.
The drugs covered by PHAP's proposal include:
* amlopidine, telmisartan, irbesartan, which are anti-hypertensive drugs;
* clopidogrel, an anti-thrombotic drug;
* the anti-cholesterol drug, atorvastatin;
* the anti-diabetic drug, gliclazide;
* piperacillin + tazobactam, ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, metronidazole and co-amoxiclave, which are anti-biotic drugs;
* bleomycin, carboplatin, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, doxorubicin, etoposide, mercaptopurine, methotrexate sodium and mesna, which are anti-cancer drugs.
Dr. Robert So, head executive assistant of Office of the Secretary-DOH, confirmed that the PHAP submitted its proposal Saturday at 10 in the morning.
He said they will submit the proposal to President Arroyo on Monday.
So said it is up to the president whether to accept the proposal of PHAP.
Roxas presses Palace
Earlier on Saturday, Senator Mar Roxas asked Malacañang where the list of the essential medicines that pharmaceutical companies volunteered to sell at lower prices was.
Roxas said pharmaceutical companies were trying to skirt a presidential directive on price ceilings on medicines.
"Nasaan na ang listahan ng mga gamot na pwede na nating bilhin sa abot-kayang halaga sa mga botika?" demanded Roxas, as a deadline for voluntary compliance by pharmaceutical companies with the Cheaper Medicines Law expired on Saturday.
"Ang tagal na nating nag-aantay. Deadline na ngayon, pero wala pa rin (We waited a long time for this. The deadline is today, but we see no cheaper medicines list yet)," Roxas added.
Roxas had been pressing for the voluntary compliance deal worked out by President Arroyo with pharmaceutical companies. Under that deal, pharmaceutical companies were supposed to submit by Saturday a list of medicines they volunteer to be sold at slashed prices.
Roxas has "criticized Mrs. Arroyo for favoring voluntary compliance with the Cheaper Medicines Law instead of imposing a maximum retail price on medicines."
He said an executive order (EO) imposing the price ceiling has been awaiting Mrs. Arroyo's signature since June 16.
Some of the drugs whose prices will be halved under the EO are the anti-hypertensive Norvasc (to P22.50 from the present P44.50), anti-diabetic Diamicron (to P7.35 from P14.75), antibiotic Augmentin suspension 60 ml (to P179.50 from P359), among others.
Senator Juan Ponce Enrile had earlier accused a drug firm of trying to "bribe" Malacañang with 5 million discount cards worth around P100 million in order to avoid the implementation of the MRP.
The drug firm, Pfizer, denied the charge. -- with reports from Cecille Lardizabal, ABS-CBN News
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Drug firms submit cheaper meds list
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