DOH, drug firm reach accord on supply row

The Department of Health has agreed to allow Phil Pharmawealth, a domestic drug company supplying generic drugs with the government, to import new batches of drug products that it had previously disallowed to carry in government hospitals as a result of an agreement reached between the DOH and the company.

In an order issued Feb. 1, Judge Alicia Marino-Co of the Regional Trial Court of Pasig City approved an agreement signed by Phil Pharmawealth and DOH Undersecretary Antonio Lopez allowing the drug company to supply government hospitals with these new batches. The order also provides that this supply of drugs must be in accordance with existing rules on public bidding.

It will be recalled the last December, Phil Pharmaweath filed a complaint against former Secretary Afredo Romualdez and the DOH, that the DOH violated the law and its right to due process when it suspended for two years the pharmaceutical company’s accreditation to participate in public bidding in the DOH as drug supplier.

Acting on the complaint, Judge Marino-Co issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing Romualdez and the DOH from implementing the suspension order with respect to the product being carried and supplied by Phil Pharmawealth, which were not alleged to be contaminated.