Group nixes 'generics-only' provision, but won't compel members to join strike

The of Health Alliance for Democracy (Head) on Thursday clarified its position on a provision on the proposed cheaper medicines bill that requires doctors to prescribe generic medicines, saying it will not compel its members to join the planned hospital holiday being pushed by the Philippine Medical Association (PMA). In a telephone interview with GMANews.TV, Dr. Geneve Rivera, Head deputy secretary-general, said that while the group fully supports PMA's stand that the "generics-only prescription" provision in the proposed legislation should be scrapped, it does not compel its members for joining the planned holiday, nor sanction those who will join the action. Rivera explained that the group, which is composed of individual health practitioners and medical organizations, cannot impose upon its 300-strong members a particular course of action on the issue. "We are composed of individual members as well as health organizations. And when it comes down to the question of whether to join the hospital holiday, we cannot impose on our members to join it because some of our members are organizations that decide for themselves, and we respect whatever decisions they make," Rivera said. In an earlier radio interview, Rivera said it will be unfair to patients if doctors try to make their point at the expense of their patients. "Hindi okay ang hospital holiday kung apektado ang serbisyo sa pasyenteng kailangan ng tulong (We do not agree to a hospital holiday if this means affecting services to patients who need doctors)," Rivera said. In the interview, Rivera, however, clarified that this was only her personal view, and not the group's stand on the matter. In a separate press statement, Rivera said the group supports PMA's calls for the scrapping of the provision in House Bill 2844 that requires doctors to prescribe generic medicines to their patients. "Categorically, we support the action of the doctors against the ill conceived 'generics only prescription' suggested by HB 2844... The 'generics only provision' does not give the immediate and effective solution of lowering drug prices," Rivera said. Instead of putting in such measures, Rivera said the bill's proponents should look deeper into the reasons behind exorbitant prices of medicines in the country. "The authors of HB 2844 should examine thoroughly the reasons why drug prices are exorbitantly unaffordable in the Philippines. One reason is that the drug industry is monopolized by transnational and multinational drug companies, another is that there is no regulation of drug prices," Rivera said. "Also the government should not be let off the hook. The ill implementation of the Generics Act, the failure of Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) to evaluate and monitor generic drug manufacture/production which led to the lack of confidence in generic drugs by the doctors and even patients... The issue should be redirected to dismantling the monopoly of the multinationals and transnationals over the drug industry and the lack of resolve of the government to control drug prices," she added. - GMANews.TV