No to moratorium on cheaper meds bill, physicians told

AKBAYAN Rep. Risa Hontiveros said that a moratorium on the cheaper medicines bill would meet stiff opposition in Congress since any delay in the enactment and implementation of the bill would do more harm on public health.

“The Philippine College of Physicians, which is calling for the moratorium, is asking for the impossible. Rather than delay the process, what we need now is for both chambers of Congress to expedite the approval of the bill,” Rep. Hontiveros said.
The solon also questioned the intention of the PCP. “They want a moratorium because the bill allegedly compromises drug safety and encourages ‘practice-of-medicine-at-drugstore-counters’. They want the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) to be strengthened first, and they’re asking for immunity from suits should the law fail to work,” Rep. Hontiveros said. “But all of these beg the question.”

She said the position of PCP is premised on the claim that branded drugs are superior and should be used. “This belief is not an unadulterated notion based on facts and certainly not evidence-based. They should clarify their stance lest they be accused of being motivated by the perks provided pharmaceutical companies to market their products,” Rep. Hontiveros said.

“The PCP position strangely echoes the position of multinational pharmaceutical companies. It is quite known that pharmaceutical companies shower physicians with free travels abroad, cuts from the sale of products, and sponsorship of excursions. This unethical practice has done harm to the public by killing the Generics law and by promoting unaffordable and inaccessible drugs,” Rep. Hontiveros stressed. “Who is doing the harm, then?”

She said that patients either resort to dangerous practices because they can’t afford to buy medicines. “They either self-medicate, using cheaper but inappropriate medicines or fake drugs, or they don’t use medication at all,” she said.

The solon added that the strengthening of BFAD could take place simultaneously. “This is precisely the reason why I made the motion to suspend interest payments for onerous debts. We want to use the funds to strengthen our healthcare system, and in particular increase the capacity of DOH to provide greater access to cheaper medicines,” she added.