DOH urged to commence Cheap Meds law implementation, inform publlic on status

Civil society groups urged the Department of Health and Intellectual Property Office to commence the implementation of Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008, two months after the law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations are approved.

Consumer group Cut the Cost, Cut the Pain Network (3CPNet) called on the Department of Health to inform the public about the measures being done to lower the prices of medicines and ensure that low-priced medicines are available to more poor Filipinos.

“Six months after R.A. 9502 was passed into law and two months after its IRR was finalized, the general public has yet to hear news on how these policies have been applied to start reducing prices of medicines. When can we really say that drugs and medicines are now affordable?” said Salvacion Basiano, spokesperson of 3CPNet and Chairperson of the Coalition of Older Persons Association of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, James Auste of Cancer Warriors Foundation (CWF) called for transparency on the current status of parallel importation of less-priced anti-cancer drugs.

“The cancer patients especially the poor deserve to have access to patented medicines from other countries that are priced lower than the same patented brand of medicines here,” Auste said.

The effectivity of the IRR of RA 9502 started on November 21, 2008.

Edeliza Hernandez, Co-convenor of 3CPNet said the group is encouraging the DOH to develop monitoring tools and form task forces in areas where NGOs operate and can be of much help.

“People’s vigilant monitoring of prices of medicines particularly those that are unjustly high due to pharmaceutical companies’ greed for profit should start now,” Hernandez added.

International group Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA) also called for access to medicines through transparency and accountability of both public and the private sector.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: INBOX is an archive of press releases, statements, announcements, letters to the editors, and manifestos sent to PinoyPress for publication. Please email your materials to pinoypress @ gmail.com. PinoyPress is not responsible for the content of these materials. The opinion expessed in these items does not reflect those of PinoyPress and its staff. Please refer to our terms of use/disclaimer.