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DOH announces that Cheap Medicines Law will not automatically cut medicine prices

Nov 07, 2008 | Mich109

MANILA, Philippines - Eventhough the Cheap Medicines Law has been passed, the DOH (Department of Health) announced that the prices of medicines will not have sudden drops.

Francisco Duque III, DOH Secretary, stated that despite the implementation of the cheaper medicines law on November 22, he said that the price reduction will be gradual.

The DOH Secretary said that the prices of medicines will not automatically go down when it takes effect of November 22. He said that they will just implement it first and let the prices gradually drop.

Eventhough Duque did not announce for how long the price drop will go, he said that the prices are expected to be down up to 50% in comparison with the 2001's then prices.

He also said that the law aspire to cut down medicine prices by making government doctors prescribe generic medicines.

Then again, Duque requested the Congress to have the list of medicines that is covered by the law completed with their prices on it. He added that the Department of Health is now making up a minimum price that he requests to be approved by the Congress really soon.

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