'Cheaper medicine law watered down'

MANILA, Philippines - United Opposition (UNO) vice presidential bet Jejomar Binay yesterday called on the authors of the cheaper medicine law to explain why it was watered down from its original intent to bring down the prices of all medicines, not just ones approved by pharmaceutical firms.

“Filipinos are only partially benefitting from a law that sought to liberate them completely from the burden of expensive medicine,” he said in a statement.

Binay said instead of bickering with Sen. Loren Legarda on who should get credit for the passage of the cheaper medicines law, Sen. Mar Roxas should instead explain why he inserted changes in the measure that weakened the law.

Binay said the original measure was filed before the 13th Congress by then Iloilo congressman Rolex Suplico in 2004, and re-filed by Rep. Ferjenel Biron in the 14th Congress.

The original measure required mandatory price regulation for medicines to be monitored by an independent drug price regulation commission.

This body would function like the Energy Regulation Commission, which monitors and regulates the price of electricity, he said.

“But Sen. Roxas opposed the initial provisions and chose to have the Department of Health (DOH) monitor prices instead of a body independent of pharmaceutical companies. Instead of having mandatory price regulation, he chose to make it conditional and dependent on (President) Arroyo,” he also said.

Binay said instead of imposing a mandated drop in drug prices, Roxas left it up to the DOH to negotiate with major drug firms on what medicines could be included in the price cut through a consultation process.

Binay cited that based on Section 17, Chapter 3 of Republic Act 9502, the President, upon the recommendation of the DOH, can impose maximum retail prices over any or all drugs enumerated in Section 23.

“So the power of whether or not to drop the prices of medicines will be at the discretion of Mrs. Arroyo, whom we all know is more attuned to the needs of business than the ordinary worker,” he said.

Binay said if Roxas is claiming credit for the law, “he must also be held liable for weakening the measure which would have freed our countrymen from the control of giant pharmaceutical firms.”

He added that Legarda voted for Roxas’ changes to the original measure.