Pass the Affordable Medicines Act Now!
Pass the Affordable Medicines Act Now!
Apr 27It is obvious that wage hikes through the regional wage boards will not make it on May 1, Labor Day. Ditto for the passage of a bill exempting minimum wage earners from paying income taxes. The only sure deal, unless a last-ditch effort to stop it succeeds, is the passage of a law that would cut the price of medicines in the country.
The Affordable Medicines Act filed by Senator Mar Roxas is in the final stages of consolidation with the House version known as the Cheaper Medicines bill. There were slight differences in the two versions but these are now being threshed out in the bicameral committee co-chaired by Roxas and Cong. Antonio Alvarez of Palawan.
Why is this bill important? For one, it will enable the private sector and even individuals to buy cheaper medicines from abroad to be used or sold here. Based on the column of Federico Pascual in Philippine Star today, he says that Norvasc which is priced at P44.75 locally sells for the equivalent of P5 in India. A drug to cure infections, Bactrim 400, costs P17.75 per tablet in the Philippines compared to its rough equivalent of P1 in Pakistan and 69 centavos in India.
Because of hyptertension, I have to take maintenance medicines to keep my blood pressure normal. This means buying Imidapril HCI (Vascor) every day for life! I wholeheartedly support the noble intentions of the Affordable Medicines Act and deplore the manner by which some House members are tearing apart the very same bill that they have a hand in putting forward. The only ulterior motive I see is that the bill has become stronger than its original, not watered down as being bandied about by this clique of “advocates” in the House. We have to be vigilant to make sure that this does not happen and that the bill passes in its current form. The House proposal for the creation of a drug price regulatory board is a Trojan horse of certain drug companies to ensure the availability of a seat or seats in that board. Whoever sets the price, controls the industry!
I join millions of ailing Filipinos in calling on Congress to pass this vital health measure NOW! This way, the government won’t be leaving us high and dry come Labor Day and for the rest of our lives.
