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Cheap medicine bill to be tackled in House plenary before recess
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 20 September 2007 17:14
- Written by Philippine Star
A bill seeking to reduce the prices of medicine will be sent to the plenary before the House of Representatives goes on recess on Oct. 12, a lawmaker said yesterday.
Prep. Antonio Alvarez, House committee on trade and industry chairman, informed Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. they will send the committee report on House Bill 001, the Cheaper Medicine Bill, to the plenary next month.
"Because of the high priority assigned to this bill, we agreed on a timetable to report out the measure in plenary possibly before Congress goes into a break on Oct. 12," he said.
The committee, which has been conducting hearings since last week, has consolidated 21 other similar bills to "get all the necessary inputs in crafting a fair, just and progressive legislation," Alvarez said.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), supports the passage of a "just, fair and effective" law that would make medicine affordable to masses.
De Venecia and House leaders have given priority to the Cheaper Medicines Bill as a major component of President Arroyo’s legislative agenda during the first Legislative-Executive Advisory Council meeting last month.
"We will deliver on our commitment to our people," he said.
Alvarez said that the prices of medicine in the Philippines are 22 times higher than those in India, and five times more than in Pakistan.
An 80 mg tablet of Bactrim is sold at P15.55 in the Philippines, while the same tablet costs only 69 centavos in India.
Each tablet of 500 mg of Ponstan sells at P2.61 in India, but can be bought in local drugstores eight times higher at P21.822.
A canister of Ventolin costs P315 in the Philippines. In Pakistan, medicine used by asthmatics to relieve breathing difficulties is available for 62.10.
"The fact is that the high price of medicine can be considered a leading cause of death in the country," Alvarez said.
"If medicines are cheaper in other countries, then it becomes the moral duty of the government to carry parallel importation."
Diamicron, a medicine for diabetes sells for P11.46 per 80 mg tablet in the Philippines but is available for P4.71 in India, Alvarez said.
source: Philippine Star
