THE City Council’s committee on trade and commerce is set to launch an investigation over the alleged high prices of medicines in pharmacies inside the hospitals in the city.
Committee chairman City Councilor George Goking said the probe will shed light as to why medicines sold in hospital pharmacies cost higher than in pharmacies outside hospitals.
Goking said he wants to know if hospitals outrightly overprice medicines as alleged by complaints he had received.
“The prices are a lot different sa medicines sold outside, mahal kaayo nga based sa akong initial study, ang medicines should have suggested retail price (SRP) like other commodities,” he said.
“Ang tawo nga gusto mabuhi mamatay sa presyo so we will see if there is a need to regulate prices because this is a very big problem. We will find a way nga affordable ra ang tambal for everyone,” he added.
Personnel from the Department of Health, Food and Drugs Administration, and the Association of Pharmacists in the city will be invited in the committee investigation.
Goking’s proposal is in time for President Rodrigo Duterte’s announcement that he will issue executive order imposing maximum retail prices for at least 120 drugs.
According to the DOH, the proposed list covers medicines for hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic lung diseases, neonatal diseases and major cancers.
The proposal also covers high cost treatments for chronic renal disease, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis.