Sunday, July 08, 2007 Lawmaker sees passage of cheap medicine bill
A KEY proponent of the proposed cheap medicine law sees an early passage of the measure in the coming sessions of the 14th Congress that will open on July 23.
South Cotabato Representative Arthur Pingoy Jr., co-author of the cheap medicine bill in the 13th Congress, said a significant number of House of Representatives members have expressed support to the measure and promised to expedite its passage.
Pingoy, who is eyeing the chairmanship of the House committee on health in the 14th Congress, said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has also certified the bill as urgent.
"It is now one of the priority measures of the House so there's a big chance that it will become a law soon," he said in a radio interview.
The proposed law primarily seeks to expand the coverage of the National Government's half price medicine program, which involves the parallel importation of patented medicine so more poor people could benefit from cheap drugs.
The House measure specifically enhanced the parallel importation of patented medicine to accommodate larger market of distributors.
In endorsing the measure, the President earlier said the program, which is being implemented by the Philippine International Trading Corporation, could include any drugstore willing to sell the commonly used medicines at cheaper prices.
The initial version of the proposed measure, House Bill 6035 or the Half Price Medicine Bill, was approved on second reading last February 20 but it remained pending due to the conduct of the midterm national and local elections. The Senate version, Senate Bill 2263, was approved on third reading last January 31. (AVE)
