Roxas pushes low-priced medicines

Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel Roxas II has reiterated his call to all government hospitals and health centers to buy and prescribe only the lowest priced but reliable medicines available in the market.

Roxas made this appeal following reports that some government hospitals are not purchasing medicines available through the "Presyong Tama, Gamot Pampamilya" program that he initiated.

"I am encouraging our government doctors to prescribe these medicines and allow their patients, particularly the marginalized, to take advantage of the low prices of branded quality drugs," Roxas said.

Roxas started the parallel drug importation program in April 2000.

Under the program, government Roxas pushes imports branded medicines for a range of common ailments such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma and infections, through the Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC).

There are now close to 350 outlets for the lower priced medicines, including provincial and district hospitals, government health centers, some government offices and non-government organizations.

There are also 120 local government units nationwide participating as distribution outlets for the program.