[Ip-health] People's Tonight (Philippines): Solons Push for Cheap Medicines

[Mike Palmedo]

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?page=3Dnews&id=3D2901&sid=3D1&urldate=
=3D2006-05-26

Solons push for cheap medicines

People's Tonight
May 26, 2006

MORE legislators are supporting the move to boycott the products of a
multinational drug company being sold in the country because of its
high-handed move against the government.

Reps. Rolex Suplico (Iloilo) and Catalino Figueroa (Samar) joined the
call of Rep. Ferjenel Biron (Iloilo), vice chairman of the House
committee on health, in calling for a public boycott of products of Pfizer.

The company courted the ire of Biron after it filed a case against the
government, particularly the Philippine International Trading Corp.
(PITC) and the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD), for its plan to import
the anti-hypertensive drug Norvasc manufactured by Pfizer after its
patent expires in June 2007.

The government=92s move to import medicines like Norvasc is aimed at
lowering the prices of medicines, which are sold exorbitantly in the
Philippines than in other countries for the same brands.

=93I support a boycott of Pfizer,=94 Suplico said.

=93The rule of law should prevail. Foreign companies are not exempted. As
long as their patents have already lapsed, then the government has the
right to do anything for the general welfare of the people,=94 he added.

Figueroa said why should Filipinos patronize the company=92s products if
they know it is making life difficult for the people.

=93=92Yung mga product ng Pfizer na mayroon namang generic brand, dapat =92=
yun
na lang ang bilhin natin,=94 he stressed.

Biron said the government should stand fast and not be intimidated by
the alleged harassment being applied by the drug company.

It was reported that Pfizer=92s Norvasc is being sold at P44.75 per 5mg
tablet and P74.57 per 10-mg tablets in the country. However, in India
the same drug under the brand name Amlogard is sold at P5.98 per 5mg and
P8.96 per 10 -mg tablet.