Cheap med bill won’t suffer Generics Law’s fate - solons

Proponents of the cheaper medicines bill in the House of Representatives assured the public that it will not suffer the same fate as that of the popular Generics Law, where low prices of drugs can only be found in government outlets. Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin told reporters earlier that their colleague, Justin Chipeco of Laguna, has introduced and will incorporate a provision in House Bill 01 that will compel all drugstores, public or private, to sell medicines at affordable rates. The Chipeco provision will form part of the Cheaper Medicines Act authored by Iloilo Rep. Ferjenel Biron. The measure sets the creation of a drug price regulatory board that will regulate and monitor the prices of drugs, especially life-saving ones. “This has been the waterloo of the Generics Law. We know that these government hospitals are just very few. Now, if these retail stores will not comply, we have imposable penalties and we have a series of penalties for these," Chipeco said. Chipeco said they wanted to provide locally manufactured medicines “equal opportunity" with the foreign branded ones, where both will enjoy “equal viewing" on the shelf of drugstores, and not discriminated against, for the simple reason that the other drug is cheaper. “We want consumers to have a choice. Baka kasi itago lang ng mga drug stores ang mas murang gamot. These stores should carry both the local and imported medicines. Hindi nila dapat itago," the young lawmaker, a lawyer by profession, said. Meantime, presidential son and Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado “Dato" Arroyo has filed a bill aimed at reducing the term of patent for drugs and pharmaceutical products from 20 to 10 years, with the government undertaking its own experimentation for all patented drugs. “Over the years, we have witnessed the steady increase in the cost of health services and medicines, which has not only burdened many of our marginalized countrymen but has also unduly undermined their basic right to a decent and blissful life," the lawmaker said. Arroyo’s House Bill 1706 seeks to address the problem on increasing prices of medicines by introducing amendments to the existing patent laws. In cutting the term to 10 years, he said the public will be able to access cheaper medicines. “A corresponding modification of these rules is necessary in order to empower the government and its agencies to find more efficient means to deliver cheaper medicines to the people without offending the propriety interest of the patent holder," he said. Biron, along with Chipeco, Locsin, Reps. Rodolfo “Ompong" Plaza of Agusan del Sur and Jose Carlos Lacson of Negros Occidental, are confident the bill will be passed into law by Congress even before the year ends. Biron said if he would have his way, there should be no more deliberations in the committee level because this measure has already been discussed “extensively and exhaustively" during the 13th Congress, which unfortunately is gathering dust due to lack of quorum. He told Congress reporters though that it would be up to the Speaker, being the House leader, to instruct Palawan Rep. Antonio Alvarez, who heads the House committee on trade and industry, to send the bill to plenary. - GMANews.TV