Wednesday, September 26, 2007 Editorial: Cheaper medicines
WHEN news broke out some months back that the Senate would tackle the problem of the high cost of medicines in this country, the long-suffering public naturally perked up and took notice.
And why not? It is generally known that the cost of medicines in the Philippines is much, much higher than in other countries, including its neighbors.
After much discussion on the feasibility of having cheaper medicines made available to the masses, two Senate committees are set to release their report on bills seeking to lower the prices of medicines through an amendment of the Intellectual Property Code (IPC) after wrapping up their hearings.
But it has been a long process that will continue to drag until the dawning of a new day when the desired goal--cheaper medicines--shall have been finally achieved.
The road to that longed-for day has been rough sailing for the bills proponents led by Sen. Manuel Roxas II, trade and commerce committee chairman, and the committee on health and demography, no thanks to the intense lobbying by powerful pharmaceutical companies opposing the lowering of medicine prices.
According to Roxas, "Our healthcare situation is hemorrhaging, and the high prices of medicines as a result of an uncompetitive market are making the situation worse." That's a damaging statement from one who is aware of the powerful lobby put by drug companies in Congress.
Roxas believes that achieving the goal would require a package of measures and even stronger government action for affordable quality medicines. The two committees intend to achieve this by increasing competition and bringing in lower-priced medicines, strengthening the local generics industry and providing ample muscle to the government in times when public health is at stake. And such a time is here, and now.
But because the opposition being put up by drug firms against the bills is so fierce, thanks to their many allies in Congress, the prospect of medicines being lowered before the end of this year is remote. The campaign will have to drag on until next year. And the next. Definitely, it is a mountain to climb, hopefully with the support of the more enlightened members of Congress who are doing it for their poorer constituents.
