DOH readies new round of drugstore inspections

After closing down some drugstores for defying an order to halve the prices of 43 essential medicines, the Department of Health is preparing for another round of inspections next week, this time on small and medium-sized pharmacies. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the inspections are in line with the September 15 deadline for smaller drugstores with manual inventory systems to comply with the 50-percent price cut. "Yung malawakang inspection simula September 15 sa small and medium pharmaceutical outlets or botika (There will be another major round of inspections starting September 15, this time on small and medium pharmaceutical outlets)," Duque said in an interview on dzXL radio. But he maintained that occasional inspections will still be conducted on bigger drugstores and pharmacies to check their compliance with the price cut. So far, Duque said 90 percent of the bigger drugstores have been complying with the 50-percent price cut. "Doon sa malalaking botika, nakita natin mga 90% ang compliance. Sa maliliit, itong September 15 [ang] simula ng pagbisita. Lahat yan ini-inspection natin (On the part of the bigger drugstores we have observed a 90-percent compliance. We will start inspecting the smaller drugstores on September 15. We will inspect them all)," he said. Since August 15, health authorities have inspected drugstores to check their compliance with the 50-percent price cut. [See: 20 drug stores near DOH office defy 50% price cut] Duque advised consumers to keep their receipts to thwart hardheaded drugstores and pharmacies defying an order to sell 43 essential medicines at half price. He reminded drugstores and pharmacies they face sanctions ranging from a P1,000 fine to the loss of their license to operate and the cancellation of their certificate of product registration. Last August, pharmaceutical companies executed a letter of undertaking to voluntarily reduce prices of 16 common and expensive medicines. On the other hand, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed on July 27 Executive Order 821 that prescribes the maximum drug retail price (MDRP) for five selected drugs and medicines. [See: Arroyo EO halves prices of anti-cancer, 4 other essential drugs] - GMANews.TV