PostHeaderIcon Pres Arroyo slashes price of 5 common drugs



On July 27, 2009, Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo signed Executive Order (EO) 821 to reduce the price of 5 common medicines which manufacturers resisted to put down. The essential drugs include anti-cholesterol drug atorvastatin, anti-hypertensive amiodipine, antibiotic/antibacterial drug azith-romycin, anti-neoplastics/anticancer drugs cytarabine and doxorubicin.

“Last week, pharmaceutical companies acceded to government pressure to cut in half the prices of the 16 other essential medicines which the health department found to be exorbitant.

These are medicines for hypertension, diabetes, common bacterial infections, amoebiasis (a leading cause of diarrhea) and cancers (such as leukemia, the top killer pediatric cancer). But the drug companies refused to give in to the appeal of the Department of Health (DoH) for a 50-percent price cut for the five other medicines on the list."---
Inquirer (07/27/09, Pazzibugan, D; Esguerra, CV.)

A welcome respite to the poor and supported by the Department of Health (DOH,) the implementation of Arroyo's drug plan starts on August 15, 2009. However, it remains to be seen if this rule will be followed. High cost of drugs are among the reasons why Filipinos are unable to maintain their medicatons leading to longer patient morbidities and premature deaths.

The maximum retail price (MRP) of drugs has been a source of contention between the manufacturers and the consumers. The Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), composed of drug companies promised they will support the new price regulation but believes it would have been better if free market---competition dictates the price of the medicines.. (Photo Credit: Techfever) =0=

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