Watsons, Collins back phase-out of mercury

Two multinational companies are lending support to the campaign to stop the use of mercury in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions.

Collins International Trading Corp, a distributor of mercury alternatives in health care, and Watsons Personal Care Stores, joined Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia, an international coalition of at least 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care.

Three months before the ultimatum on the mercury phase-out in the Philippines, CITC and Watsons have teamed-up with HCWH-SEA in a renewed campaign to junk mercury devices.

“Now that we are nearing the September 2010 deadline as prescribed by Department of Health Administrative Order 21, we want both the health care sector and the general public to know why we are phasing out mercury devices, what are the dangers of continuous use, the alternatives available and guidelines on temporary storing old mercurial devices both at home and in the health care setting, said Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury in Health Care.

Omron Healthcare Brand Marketing Manager Julie Lee said that as a distributor of household and medical products, CITC has to deliver carefully chosen quality products at reasonable prices. “”We do not want the irreversible damage of mercury exposure in our conscience. We do not want to cause it or to be an accessory to the crime of mercury poisoning,” Lee said.

She related that since CITC acquired Omron, it has never distributed any mercury-equipped healthcare devices and has been supporting the campaign on mercury phase-out. Macon Ramos-Araneta, Manila Standard Today