Roxas exposes conspiracy between GMA and multinational pharma

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today exposed a devious conspiracy between President Arroyo and multinational drug firms to circumvent the cheaper medicines law, in effect keeping critical drugs out of reach of the poor.

"I am informed by very reliable sources that recently, President Arroyo held a closed door meeting with representatives of multinational drug firms," he said.

"Sa meeting nila, napagkasunduan na ipagpaliban muna ang EO na magpapataw ng Maximum Retail Price (MRP) sa mga gamot. Ang kapalit, gagawa ng paraan ang big pharma companies na ibaba ang presyo ng gamot bago sumapit ang SONA ni GMA sa July 28," Roxas revealed.

The Executive Order setting the MRP for 22 essential medicines has been submitted by the Department of Health (DOH) to Mrs. Arroyo as early as June 16. The MRP list seeks to slash by half the prices of these drugs within reach of poor patients who are in need of life maintenance or at the brink of dying.

These drugs include the anti-hypertensive drug Norvasc (to P22.50 from P44.50); anti-diabetic Diamicron (to P7.35 from P14.75); antibiotic Zithromax (to P149.37 from P298.75); and antibiotic Augmentin suspension 60 ml (to P179.50 from P359).

"Sa meeting na iyon, nandoon daw ang Secretary of Health. Tinatanong kita, Secretary Duque, bakit hindi ka umalma sa kuntsabahang nasaksihan mo sa pagpupulong na iyon?" he said.

"I believe that this conspiracy was engineered with the facilitation of an influential Presidential Adviser who is also connected with one of the multinational pharmaceutical giants," he added.

"It is the poor patients that the President should call to Malacañang for a meeting so she can see for herself how hard it is to cling to dear life without affordable quality medication," he said.

Roxas demanded "for the nth time" that the President sign the EO on the MRP "and stop consultations with the pharmaceutical firms as if they were the victims in this issue."

He also demanded that Tamiflu—now priced as high as P150 per tablet—should also be included in the MRP.

"Stop playing with the lives of the people and just implement the law, Mrs. President," he said.

Thursday, July 9, 2009 | posted in cheaper medicines bill, doh, francisco duque, mar roxas, pgma, philippines, president, tamiflu | 1 comments [ More ]

Roxas to GMA: Get back to work, slash drug prices

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today asked President Arroyo to get back to work now that she’s back in the country and sign an important executive order that imposes maximum retail price on the most vital drugs in the country.

In fact, Roxas said, Mrs. Arroyo should shake off the travel bug and even include the anti-flu drug Tamiflu as the 23rd medicine in the MRP list submitted to her by the Department of Health to make it more accessible to flu-scared consumers nationwide.

"Get back to work. Sign the executive order for the MRP so Filipinos can finally buy affordable and quality medicines in drugstores," Roxas said as GMA wound up a 13-day trip to Japan, the United States, Colombia, Brazil and Hong Kong at the height of the A(H1N1) flu scare in the country.

"Matagal ng inaantay ng taumbayan ang abot-kaya at de-kalidad na gamot. Isang taon simula nang maging batas ito, wala pa ring mabiling murang gamot ang taumbayan sa mga botika," lamented the primary author of the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Law.

The DOH has submitted the draft EO on the MRP to the Office of the President last June 16. The President’s approval is necessary before the department could start imposing price ceilings on the top 22 prescribed medicines in the country, which includes, among others, hypertension, diabetes and anti-bacterial drugs.

Roxas renewed his call to include Tamiflu (Generic: Oseltamivir) and other anti-viral drugs in the MRP, stressing the need to put price ceilings on the drugs to ensure their affordability.

He noted the spiraling costs of medicines that treat symptoms of the A(H1N1) flu. Tamiflu had previously cost only P40/capsule before the flu virus began spreading in the country. It is now sold at an average of P150 to P155 apiece.

"Kailangang siguruhin nating abot-kaya ang halaga ng mga gamot laban sa A(H1N1)" the Visayan senator said.

"Responsibilidad ng pamahalaan na panatilihing malusog ang taumbayan. Bakit kailangang unahin ang biyahe bago bigyan ang taumbayan ng murang gamot?" he added.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009 | posted in a(h1n1), cheaper medicines bill, health, mar roxas, pgma, president, tamiflu | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas to DTI, DOH on A(H1N1): Be ahead of the curve

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas stressed that the government, particularly the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Health (DOH) should ensure fullest possible access to critical goods needed to deal with a possible Influenza A(H1N1) emergency situation.

"Pangunahan na ng gobyerno ang sitwasyon. Dapat maghanda ito sa posibleng pagbulusok ng A(H1N1) Flu. Dapat abot-kamay ng publiko ang mga kinakailangang produkto para sugpuin ang sakit na ito," he said.

"The supply of Tamiflu is not the only critical element. Once an emergency situation sets in, the demand for preventive products like disinfectants, sanitizers, alcohols, masks, and even multivitamins could shoot up. The government has to be ahead of the curve and be prepared for this scenario," he stressed.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce said DTI and DOH, together with other government agencies involved in combating A(H1N1) flu, should form a task force to identify all critical goods and preventive products, monitor their prices, secure their sources of supply and prepare for possible price controls.

"The government should also be on the guard against unscrupulous businessmen who take advantage of the situation, as well as against misleading advertising messages prescribing sham cures", he said.

"Hindi dapat payagang abusuhin tayo ng mga loko sa negosyo. Dapat mangibabaw ang interes ng publiko sa lahat ng oras, lalo na sa panahon ng kagipitan," the former DTI secretary said.

"Information should be delivered as to which disinfectant products in the market are most effective in preventing the spread of the virus," he added.

Furthermore, he said the task force should give special focus to urban poor communities that are the most vulnerable to disease contagion because of congestion, lack of water and lack of access to preventive and curative goods.

"Magtulungan tayo. Magsama tayo’t labanan ang problemang dala ng AH1N1 sa ating bansa," Roxas said.

Friday, June 19, 2009 | posted in a(h1n1), doh, dti, health, mar roxas, philippines, tamiflu | 0 comments [ More ]