100-day challenge raised for cheaper medicine law

Two non-government organizations raised yesterday a 100-day challenge for the government to strictly implement the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicine Act of 2008.

In a joint statement, the consumer group Cut the Cost, Cut the Pain Network (3CPNet) and patient group Cancer Warriors Foundation (CWF) said they want to see a significant reduction in the prices of medicine in the first 100 days of the implementation of the law.

The law took effect last Nov. 22.

The groups also asked the Department of Health to identify patented drugs for cancer and other critical ailments that can be bought by the Philippines through parallel importation.

These drugs are usually expensive, denying treatment to poor patients. Under the law, the country can import patented medicine, which should result in price reductions.

“Aside from the importation, the DOH can start working on the monitoring of prices to help set the maximum retail prices of life-saving medicine,” said 3CPNet co-coordinator Edel Hernandez. – Sheila Crisostomo