Drugstores violating drugs price cuts

MANILA, Philippines–Health inspectors caught some drugstores and private hospitals violating a new executive order lowering prices of essential medicines, on Saturday, when the order took effect.

In a press briefing, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he received reports one drugstore chain was still selling the anti-hypertensive drug Norvasc (generic name amlopidine) at the old price.

Duque did not identify the drugstore chain but immediately ordered the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) to take action.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer was shown a copy of an official receipt allegedly issued on Saturday by the South Star Drug branch on Matalino St., Diliman, Quezon City, that showed Norvasc 5mg being sold for P46.25 each.

Under the Maximum Drug Retail Price (MDRP) order, amlopidine 5mg is P22.85.

“This is our first reported violation,” Duque announced.

In a phone conversation with DOH officials in Pampanga, Cebu City and Davao City during the press conference, Duque was told that a drugstore chain in Cebu City and a private tertiary hospital in Pampanga were also not implementing the new regulated prices, yet.

Duque said he was also told that health officials in Region 1 saw violations in some drugstores visited by their “mystery shopper.”

Undersecretary Dave Lozada reported from Cebu City that Rose Pharmacy had not implemented all the price adjustments but promised to finish the adjustments “either today or tomorrow.”

Duque told them to immediately coordinate with the Bureau of Food and Drugs personnel in their area to investigate and conduct surprise visits.

He warned drug retailers that the DOH would impose sanctions and told customers to keep their official receipt if they were sold a medicine at prices higher than the maximum retail price.

Only small and medium size drugstores, which have not computerized their system, and the pharmacies of primary and secondary hospitals were given until September 15 to implement the new prices.

Generally, however, customers in most drugstores were greeted by prominently displayed posters announcing a 50 per cent price cut on several basic medicines.

Malacañang placed five common but expensive medicines under price regulation. These medicines are the anti-hypertensive drug amlodipine, the anti-cholesterol drug atorvastatin, the antibiotic/antibacterial drug azithromycin, and the anti-neoplastics/anti-cancer drugs cytarabine and doxorubicin.

The DOH originally wanted to cover 21 essential drugs sold at exorbitant prices, but multinational drug companies preempted the government by agreeing to voluntarily lower the prices of 16 of these drugs by at least 50 per cent.

The voluntary 50 per cent price cut for these 16 drugs also took effect on Saturday.

These are telmisartan and irbesartan which are anti-hypertensive drugs; the anti-thrombotic drug clopidogrel; the anti-diabetic drug gliclazide; the antibiotic drugs piperacillin + tazobactam, ciprofloxacin, metronidazole and co-amoxiclave; and bleomycin, carboplatin, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, mercaptopurine, methotrexate sodium and mesna which are anti-cancer drugs.

Republic Act 9502 or the “Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008” gave the DOH the power to impose fines and penalties against any person, manufacturer, importer, trader, distributor, wholesaler, retailer or any other entity who violates the imposed maximum retail price.

The fines range from P50,000 to P5 million.

But since the 16 drugs are under voluntary price cuts, BFAD director Nancy Tacandong said they could only invoke the Consumer Act and impose a P1,000 fine for violations.

But she warned that they could suspend a product’s registration and revoke the license to operate given to the drugstore and pharmacy.

The BFAD complaints hotlines are 807-0751 and 807-8275. Duque said they would set up a complaints’ desks in health centers nationwide.

The 20 per cent discount given to senior citizens would still be honored on top of the 50 per cent price reduction, Health Undersecretary Alex Padilla stressed. –Dona Pazzibugan, Philippine Daily Inquirer