A study conducted by the Senate committee on trade and commerce has shown that four years after the ratification of Republic Act No. 9502 or the "Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008," prices of some medicines have yet to go down.
At the bicameral hearing of the quality affordable medicine oversight committee on Monday, it was revealed that of the five drugs included in the study, only the price of one has decreased since 2008 — and it was not even because of the law.
“Norvasc lang ang bumaba. Nabanggit kanina na kaya bumaba ito [ay] dahil naalis na ‘yung patent protection at talagang normally bababa na ‘yun. Walang kinalaman ang batas sa pagbaba nun,” Sen. Manny Villar, chairman of the Senate committee on trade and commerce, told reporters in an interview after the hearing.
Other drugs that were part of the study were Plendil, which cost P23.76 before the passage of the Cheaper Medicine Law but is now P32.25; Ventolin (inhaler), which used to be P352 but is now P432.50; Ponstan, which used to be P26 but is now P29.75; and Bactrim, which used to be P17 but is now P33.75.
70-percent decrease
But according to Reinier Gloor, executive director of Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Association of the Philippines, prices of some medicines have gone down by as much as 70 percent since the law was passed. He said most of these medicines were those sourced from abroad.
“There are lots of Filipino companies… 125 local firms, some competing with multinational products. In certain products sourced from India or China and so forth, the reduction is 60 to 70 percent. For products made in Europe and the United States, the product price reduction goes down to 60 percent,” Gloor said.
Still, Villar said he would further study the implementation of the Cheaper Medicines Act.
“Hindi ako titigil hanggang hindi nakakagawa ng rekomendasyn ang aking komite dito sa implementasyon ng batas na ito. Mahalaga na bumaba ang presyo ng gamot, ito ang objective ng batas na ito at ‘yan ang dapat mangyari,” he said.
“Lobbied”?
Villar said it is “possible” that pharmaceutical companies had a hand — through intensive lobbying — in drafting the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the law.
“Possibleng nagkaron ng lobbying sa IRR pero wala akong inaakusahan. Ang sinasabi ko lang ay posible… Masyadong maaga para malaman kung sino pero definitely sa ating pagre-review may mga kumpanya na nagva-violate nito,” he said.
Villar said his committee would invite health officials who drafted the IRR to the third bicameral hearing.
Out with VAT
To further lower the prices of medicines, Villar proposed to remove the value-added tax on medicines.
“Pino-propose ko rin na tanggalin ang VAT sa gamot. Hindi naman talaga dapat na papatungan pa ng VAT ang mga gamot [dahil] talaga namang napakahalaga ito sa ating buhay, kaya hindi ko naiintindihan kung bakit naipasama yan sa VAT natin noon,” he said.
He said his son, Las Piñas Rep. Mar Villar, has already filed a bill for this, noting that tax measures must originate from the House of Representatives.
Free medicines for cancer patients
Meanwhile, Villar also proposed to provide free medicines specifically to cancer patients.
“Ako’y talagang nag-propose noon pa na dapat itong mga gamot sa cancer ay ibigay ng gobyerno na libre. Naniniwala akong kaya ng budget 'yan,” he said.
The senator claimed that the government may opt to buy in bulk to avail of discounts.
“Ang isang Pilipino ay hindi dapat mamatay dahil sa cancer na hindi lamang nagkakaroon ng pagkakataon [makatikim ng gamot],” he said. – KBK, GMA News
Cheaper Medicines Act not properly implemented — Villar
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