Health research bill pushed

MANILA, Philippines – Science and Technology (S&T) advocates at the House of Representatives are fast-tracking the passage of a health research bill that seeks to increase the budget for research and development in the country.

Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, chairman of the House committee on S&T, said the first joint committee hearing will start next month on House Bill 5761 that proposes the Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) Act.

“We hope to call the first committee hearing by the end of April and get things rolling for the PNHRS Act,” Abaya said in a statement.

HB 5761 obliges several government institutions to allocate a portion of their gross annual revenues for health research and development activities.

The bill was authored by former Cebu congressman Antonio Yapha and Rep. Anna York Bondoc of Pampanga.

“We are very supportive of the PNHRS Act because this would hopefully signal a renaissance for Philippine health research,” Abaya said.

He said one of the more important provisions of the proposed PNHRS Act is the establishment of the Philippine National Health Research Fund, which would augment the current shortfall in the total expenditures allotted for research and development.

Abaya said the passage of the PNHRS Act will provide the manpower and the resources to enable the Philippines to do research and testing on existing drugs so that once the patent expires, a cheaper or generic equivalent can be immediately introduced to the market.

“Together with other health researches being undertaken, it will enable the Philippines to produce its own medicine, vaccines and diagnostic devices,” Abaya said.

He said this measure would drastically lower the cost of medicine and healthcare.