DOH exec identifies 5 medicines for compulsory price cut

The Department of Health (DOH) identified Tuesday five medicines that would be subjected to compulsory price cuts starting Aug. 15, 2009. The announcement came a day after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo disclosed during her State of the Nation Address (SONA) that she placed "other" drugs under maximum retail price. Dr. Roberto So, head of health department's national drug program, said the medicines include two anti-cancer medications, and one each against high blood pressure, infection, and high cholesterol. “Kung matatandaan natin, ang una nating inirekomenda sa opisina ng Pangulo ay 21 iba’t ibang klaseng gamot. Ngunit 16 sa mga ito boluntaryong ibinaba ng drug firms ang presyo, pero ang natirang lima hindi isinama sa pagbaba ng presyo sang-ayon sa inirekomenda natin sa EO," So said in an interview on dzBB radio. (We had recommended to the Office of the President 21 medicines to be placed under an executive order (EO) enforcing price cuts in accordance with the Cheaper Medicines Act. But drug makers have not voluntarily slashed prices of five medicines.) The five medicines to be placed under compulsory price cuts are: * Anti-cancer medications Doxorubicin with prices ranging P1465.75 to P2,265.74 and Cytarabine (P240 to P1,980); * Anti-high blood medications Amlodipine (P9.60 to P38.50); * Medication against common infection Azithromycin (P108.50 to P468.00); and * Anti-high cholesterol Atorvastatin (P34.45 to P91.79).

In her SONA delivered Monday, Mrs. Arroyo noted pharmaceutical firms had agreed to voluntarily lower prices of 16 of 21 essential medicines. "Pursuant to law, we are placing other drugs under a maximum retail price," she said. So said the price cuts will take effect August 15, with drugstores that cannot immediately comply getting a grace period of up to September 15. He said that once September 16 rolls in, all drugstores still not complying with the 50-percent price cut on the 21 medicines will be sanctioned. This early, So said several government agencies, including the Health and Trade Departments and the Bureau of Food and Drugs, will field price monitoring teams. Aside from these, he said the DOH will ask local government units and the private sector for help. He also reminded hospital pharmacies they are not exempt from the 50-percent price cut. Meanwhile, So said that senior citizens will get a bonus of sorts because the 20-percent discount granted to them will still hold despite the 50-percent price cut of some medicines. - GMANews.TV