Bicam group inching towards final version of cheaper drugs bill

MANILA, Philippines - Members of the bicameral conference committee deliberating on the Cheaper Medicines Bill seem to be inching towards a final version of this priority measure. Although Senate panel member Sen. Pilar Juliana S. Cayetano had opposed the generics-only provision of House Bill 2844, she proposed to the House panel that this contested provision be implemented three years after the law takes effect. Within that period, the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) will be strengthened to enable it to deploy enough personnel to retail outlets across the country as well as conduct laboratory testing of generics drugs in key state medical institutions. "I am not in favor of the generics-only provision Our conditions are not similar in other countries," Ms. Cayetano said. This time, she said, she is optimistic that the bicameral body would come up with an agreement in its meeting tentatively scheduled for tomorrow. "There is more reason now to be confident that we can come to an agreement on the final version of this bill," said Ms. Cayetano, chairman of the Senate committee on health and demography. Senate panel chairman Sen. Manuel A. Roxas II, a premier author of Senate Bill 1658 on this issue, agreed with Ms. Cayetano, saying: "I am optimistic that an agreement will be reached [tomorrow] because we all share the view that this is an urgent, life-saving measure." President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself has appealed to the bicameral body to drop the generics-only provision in HB 2844 in order to remove the key obstacle to approval in this committee. House panel chairman Rep. Antonio C. Alvarez of Palawan (1st district) said in a phone interview that "some, but not all" of Ms. Cayetano’s proposals were "acceptable" and they would "try to explore those [proposals]." He declined to elaborate, saying he had to discuss these proposals with House Speaker Prospero C. Nograles and other members of the bicameral panel. In a telephone interview, House panel member Rep. Ferjenel G. Biron of Iloilo (4th district) said he favors the new proposals. "At least, I’m happy that she is becoming more open to the idea that it [generics-only] should be included." - Bernard U. Allauigan, BusinessWorld