The country can finally expect the passage of the Cheaper Medicine Bill when the regular session of both Senate and House resumes.

This became evident after House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., representative of the 4th District, assured doctors belonging to the Pangasinan Medical Society (PMS), that he, as well as Rep. Ferjenel Biron, the primary author of the House version, said they are “inclined” to support the doctors’ position on the proposed provision for the generic medicine.

 Doctors nationwide have raised their opposition to the House version of the proposed law, that require doctors to only prescribe generic medicines, effectively amending the Generics Act of 1998, which the doctors say compromises the integrity of their profession.

The officers of the PMS, composed of 1,000 doctors in Pangasinan led by Dr. Felipe Gozar Duque, presented their resolution adopting and supporting the stand of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) to De Venecia.

“Kailangan din nating pagbigyan ang mga doctors”, De Venecia said, adding that doctors have enough knowledge which medicines are effective.

“The important thing, let us lower the prices first because medicines in the Philippines are so expensive,” he added.

Based on the position paper of the PMA and the Philippine Dental Association (PDA), Duque said the amendment removing “the prerogative and discretion of the physician and dentist to include the brand name of drugs in their prescription” lacks the context of safety and efficiency.

The PMS also believes that the amendments to the existing Generics Act coupled with a poorly managed regulatory body, will result in the judicious dispensing by unqualified pharmacy   salespersons and the circulation of inadequately tested and generic medicines and proliferation of dubious generic drug sources.”

The legislative bicameral conference will be held on January 28 to reconcile the provisions in both the Senate and House versions. #

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