Press Release August 16, 2006
ROXAS SEEKS SUPPORT OF COLLEAGUES FOR BILL
Sen. Mar Roxas yesterday sought the support of the Senate to his bill proposing amendments to the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines that will finally open up access to quality, more affordable medicines to all Filipinos. In a speech sponsoring the report of the Senate committees on trade and commerce and on health and demography, Roxas said the Senate has a solemn duty to correct the injustice of the high cost of medicines. Roxas, who chairs the trade and commerce committee, is joined by Senator Pia Compañera Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate committee on health and demography, in sponsoring the proposed law, which carries to the floor the endorsement of 16 senators. Debates on the measure are expected to commence after his sponsorship speeches. A consolidated version of Senate Bill 2139, principally authored by Roxas, Senate Bill 2263 seeks to:
In seeking the support of his colleagues for the measure, Roxas recalled that there have been numerous efforts to address the problem of high drug prices, citing the Generic Drugs Act which Senators Aquilino Pimentel and Edgardo Angara co-authored; Senator Juan Ponce Enrile voted for; and Sen. Juan Flavier championed when he was Health Secretary. He also cited that part of the rationale for enacting the Retail Trade Liberalization Law was to open the door to greater competition among drug stores and pharmacies. However, the senator said the efforts to address this problem have made such progress but sadly because of poor implementation, or inhospitable circumstances, or more venal collusion, these have not been enough to substantially make headway. He described the countrys public health situation by citing the price differentials between the essential drug, Norvasc, which cost only P5 pesos in India but costs P44.75 at the Mercury Drug Store in Quiapo; a Ventolin inhaler, which has a tag of P231 in Bangkok, Thailand, but costs P406 in Manila; and Bactrim 400, which cost P17.75 in the Philippines but only P1.00 in Pakistan and P0.69 in India. What is so special about Thailand, India, Pakistan and other countries across and beyond our region that they can offer these affordable medicines to their citizens while we Filipinos have to pay many more times for the same medicines? he asked. When someone you love dies, its not political or economic, its personal. But for the poorest of the poorthose who could have saved their loved one if they only had the money to do soit goes beyond what is personal. It goes straight to the question of social justice, he added. The Departments of Health and Trade and Industry, Intellectual Property Office, Bureau of Food and Drugs, Philippine International Trading Corporation, National Institutes of Health, World Health Organization, Philippine Medical Association, Philippine Nurses Association, Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of the Pharmaceutical Industry, Third World Network, Cut the Cost, Cut the Pain Network, OXFAM Philippines, and the multi-sectoral coalition Ayos na Gamot sa Abot Kayang Presyo, or AGAP, are among the numerous government and non-government organizations that have expressed support for the bill. |
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