Cheap Medicines Bill Update: Generic Only Provision is out! ~ My Opinion

The debate on the generic only provision finally straighten out after the members of the congress who authored the House Resolution no. 2844 or Cheaper Medicine Bill submit on the request of the Senate and the Philippine Medical Association. The Generic Only provision became the source of the debate on the bi-cameral session and even the disapproval of the Philippine Medical Association. It requires medical practitioner to prescribe only generic name of drugs, or medicine in their prescription and it holds the rights of the doctors to recommend specific brand.

House Speaker Prospero Nograles mentioned that they need to adopt on the bill passed by the Senate but they need assurance that the bill will produce cheap (price) medicine. They were planning to implement the said bill before the Labor Day on May 1 as gift to the workers.

In spite of the Congress approval to remove the generics only provision, Iloilo Representative Janet Garin mentioned that the senate must not remove the drug price regulatory board on the provision, where it will monitor the prices of the medicine in the market. Aside from the drug price regulatory board, the congress wanted to retain the penalties on the company who over price with their products. Unfortunately the regulatory board was removed, but still members of the congress were hoping that this provision will be returned for the needs of the poor people.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ask the senate and congress to finalized and submit the bill before Labor Day.

Ang Sa Wari Ko: I agree with Rep. Garin, in spite with their approval to remove the generic only provision, the senate must not take out the regulatory board that will serve as our eyes on the company that over price with their products. The inflation on our basic commodities such as electricity, gasoline and food, we cannot afford another increase especially in medicine. If the congress and senate can create a bill like this, instead of listening to the cabinet secretaries and spokespersons telling that their is no crisis and their is sufficient food and other basic commodities despite of price increase, why not create a bill that will regulate the price on food, electricity and gasoline and the rest is history.