Press Release
February 14, 2008

BICAM ON AFFORDABLE MEDICINES TO PUSH THROUGH NEXT WEEK
NBN HEARINGS WON'T DISRUPT DELIBERATIONS ON MEDICINES BILL

Senators and House members of the bicameral conference committee on the Quality Affordable Medicines Bill will proceed as scheduled to deliberate on the measure, this coming Tuesday, February 19.

"We're focused more than ever to get the bill passed for people to reap its benefits soonest," Roxas, sponsor of the bill at the Senate, said.

Roxas and Senate health committee chair Pia Cayetano met last Wednesday with their counterparts at the House, to discuss how to best promote the local generics industry and boost the availability of more affordable drugs. Among the invited resource persons were former Health secretary Alberto Romualdez and UP College of Medicine faculty Dr. Abundio Balgos and Dr. Suzette Lazo representing the academe, Bureau of Food and Drugs Director Leticia Gutierrez and the Philippine Chamber of the Pharmaceutical Industry (PCPI).

Roxas noted that the senators and congressmen have recognized that the BFAD should be given discretion, subject to certain guidelines, on the manner of testing of various types of drugs.

"The sense of the bicam committee is that while we give flexibility to the BFAD, each medicine must undergo thorough inspection in order for the public to be certain of the efficacy and safety of both branded and generic drugs," Roxas said.

The panel had earlier agreed on the Senate provision to allow the BFAD to retain its earnings for it to better regulate and monitor both local and imported drugs in the market.

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