DOH to give P10 million worth of morphine to cancer patients

MANILA, Philippines - In an effort to provide quality of life for cancer patients in pain, the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday announced it would distribute P10-million worth of morphine for cancer patients in its 27 hospitals.

The DOH said government policies on the use of morphine for medical purposes should be relaxed to prevent ailing persons from suffering unnecessary pain.

Dr. Ivanhoe Escartin, program manager of the DOH’s Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program, said half of the P10-million worth of morphine will initially be given to cancer patients in 27 DOH hospitals for two months.

“After this period, we’ll sit down with the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to assess utilization and possible abuse. And then we’ll study how (we can use the other half). We want cancer management to be rationalized. We focus more on anti-cancer medicine but we don’t give importance to the pain suffered by the patients. We must also ensure quality life for them,” Escartin said in an interview.

He claimed that doctors have difficulty accessing painkillers like morphine to the detriment primarily of those sick with cancer. Morphine and other painkillers are considered dangerous and prohibited in the country.

The DOH has been coordinating with the DDB and the PDEA to enable more doctors to prescribe painkillers.