THERE is now another program similar to the Cheaper Medicines Law and the Generics Law that will make sure there are available supplies of affordable essential drugs to the public, health officials said yesterday.

The P100 Project of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will make essential medicines cost only P100 or less.

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FDA’s Dr. Angelita Salarda told reporters yesterday that the objective of the P100 Project is to increase the patients’ access to low-cost quality drugs.

Salarda said some people buy drugs without following the prescribed dosage.

Taking drugs in dosage not stated in the prescription will make the sick person immune to drugs, Salarda said.

Not satisfied

Salarda said the project was created because some people are not satisfied with the essential drugs included in the Maximum Drug Retail Price (MDRP) and the Government Mediated Access Price (GMAP), under the Cheaper Medicines Act and other drug laws.

Salarda said the project started last year but was only introduced in Region 7 last May.

Essential

Salarda said more than 23 essential drugs were covered by the P100 project, with prices ranging from P25 to P100.

Drugs included in the P100 Project are anti-hypertensive drugs (Amlodipine, Atenolol, Felodipine, and Metropolol), anti-diabetic drugs (Glibenclamide and Metformin), anti-cholesterol drugs (Simvastatin), anti-ulcer drugs (Omeprazole and Ranitidine), anti-biotic/antibacterial drugs (Amox-icillin, Cefalexin, Clin-damycin, Cotrimaxazole, Co-Amoxiclav, and Metronidazole), anti-asthma drugs (Salbutamol), anti-gout drugs (Allopurinol) and vitamins (Ascorbic Acid).

Salarda cited as example a 50 milligram tablet of Metoprolol, which costs about P 15.30.

With a treatment course of 90 tablets at two a day, the total cost would be P1,377.

Salarda said that if one avails himself of the P100 Project, he can buy 90 tablets for only P100, saving up to P 1,277.

But the P100 Project is only implemented in government hospitals. In Cebu, the project is implemented at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City, Eversley Child Sanitarium in Mandaue City, St. Anthony Hospital in Barangay Basak, Cebu City and Talisay City District Hospital in Talisay City.