Press Release
January 8, 2009

ROXAS TAKES ON PHARMA'S HIGH DRUG PRICE REGIME

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas is ready to go head-to-head against the pharmaceutical industry, that would seek to thwart the implementation of his Cheaper Medicines Act.

"Talagang babrasuhin natin ang pharmaceutical industry na ito na ang tagal-tagal nang pinagsasamantalahan tayo. Huwag tayo masyadong mailang sa kanila (We are ready to go up against the pharmaceutical industry, that has for so long been taking advantage of us. We shouldn't be timid against them)," said Roxas, chairman of the Senate committee on trade and commerce.

"Sampung taon nating pinaglaban iyan, sampung taon tayong binugbog ng pharmaceutical industry, kung anu-anong putik ang tinapon sa atin, kasi gusto nating babaan nila presyo (We have fought for this for ten years, and for ten years we've been beaten up by the pharmaceutical industry, with all this mud slung at us because we want them to lower their prices)," he added.

The Ilonggo senator also stressed the need for the Department of Health to improve its system in procuring medicines from abroad, to ensure that these are bought at low prices.

"Dapat kulitin na ang gobyerno na imbes na sa Cha-Cha, imbes na sa pulitika at pampahaba ng termino, mapunta dito sa tunay nating pangangailangan: mura at de kalidad na gamot, na matagal na nating inantay at pinaglaban (The government should be told that instead of Cha-Cha, instead of politicking and lengthening of terms, that they focus on our real needs: affordable and quality medicines, which we have long waited for and fought for),"

"Hindi natin minamaliit ang mga nagawa na ng DoH, pero kulang na kulang pa rin ito. Kaya natin pinalakas at dinagdagan ang pondo ng DoH, PITC at BFAD. Ngayon, inaantay natin ang masigasig na aksyon (We are not putting down what the DoH has done so far, but this is still much too little. This is why we are strengthening and increasing funds for the DoH, PITC and BFAD. Now, we are waiting their decisive action),"

The Ilonggo senator is still awaiting from the DoH a list that it had pledged to be ready by this month, containing 25 essential medicines - consisting of drugs to treat hypertension, diabetes, asthma and cancer, as well as antibiotics - and their corresponding price ceilings.

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