[Ip-health] Philippines House of Representatives approves cheaper medicines bill

[Rohit Malpani]

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House approves cheaper medicines bill

By Maila Ager, Christian V. Esguerra
INQUIRER.net Philippine Daily Inquirer

Posted date: December 18, 2007


MANILA, Philippines -- The House of Representatives has approved on
third and final reading a bill seeking to lower the prices of medicines
in the country amid claims big pharmaceutical firms tried to block its
passage.

In an unusual show of unity, all 205 lawmakers present in the plenary
voted Tuesday night in favor of the consolidated House Bill 2844, known
as "An act providing for cheaper medicines and for other purposes."

Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. also cast his vote, citing the "overwhelming
merits of this piece of legislation."

"It's not customary for the presiding officer to cast his vote but
because this bill is a historic bill and because of the overwhelming
merits of this piece of legislation, I would like to vote yes in support
of House Bill 2844," he said.

"And for this reason, ( I would also like to) announce that by an
abstention vote of zero, a negative vote of zero, 205 members of the
House voted for this bill," De Venecia said. "This bill is approved on
third and final reading."

The bill seeks to increase the poor's access to medicines by, among
other things, allowing parallel importation of patented medicines and
revising the Intellectual Property Code which provides protection for
holders of medicine patents.

But its passage came after months of intense debates and alleged efforts
by pharmaceutical firms to delay, water down or archive the measure.

Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros accused the United States Trade
Representative's Office in Manila of attempting to influence the
deliberations on the bill apparently to favor transnational
pharmaceutical companies, many of them US-based.

Hontiveros earlier distributed to reporters copies of a "position paper"
she said was being circulated by the US Trade Representative's Office
among members of the House committee on trade and industry that was
steering the bill's passage through the House.

The position paper contained comments and suggestions, purportedly
coming from the US government, on how certain provisions of HB 2844 can
be worded.

At a press briefing on Tuesday, Hontiveros said the US trade
representative ought to be reminded that the Philippines "is not a
colony of your country."

Shalimar Vitan, policy coordinator of the UK-based Oxfam international
aid agency, said the document was also intended for the Philippines'
Intellectual Property Office.

"This is the unseen hand" trying to influence the Cheaper Medicines
Bill, Vitan told a press briefing.

Palawan Representative Antonio Alvarez, chairman of the House committee
on trade and industry, said he had been approached by the office of the
US Trade Representative regarding its concerns about HB 2844.

He said the American Chamber of Commerce had also written to De Venecia
concerning the bill.

But Alvarez said "it was nothing. They just raised their concerns
sometime ago, but I didn't mind them."

After its approval in the House, the bill will be sent to the Senate for
concurrence, although some lawmakers are not hopeful it will be passed
before Congress goes on a month-long recess for the holidays.

The House-approved measure proposes the creation of the Drug Price
Regulation Board that will regulate retail prices of drugs and medicines
in the country.

The medicines covered by price regulations are:

1. Drugs or medicines indicated for treatment of chronic illnesses and
life threatening conditions like diabetes, endocrine disorder,
gastrointestinal disorders, peptic ulcer, cardiovascular diseases,
hypertension, among others;

2. Drugs or medicines indicated for prevention of diseases like
vaccines, immunoglobulin and anti-serums;

3. Drugs or medicines indicated for prevention of pregnancy such oral
contraceptives;

4. Anesthetic agents;

5. Intravenous fluids;

6. Drugs or medicines included in the Philippine National Drug Formulary
(PNDF) Essential Drug list;

7. All other drugs or medicines which from time to time the Board
determines to be in need of price regulation.