Therapharma marks launch of BP drugs

Therapharma, a division of United Laboratories, recently celebrated the anniversary of the launch of its brand of losartan and the losartan and hydrocholorthiazide combination of antihypertensive medicines.

Hypertension is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke, two of the leading causes of death in the Philippines.

As with other chronic conditions, hypertension requires daily medication to keep the blood pressure within normal range.

However, studies have shown that only half of diagnosed hypertensives are taking medicines regularly. One of the biggest factors for non-compliance of patients is the high cost of drugs.

Dr. Esperanza Cabral, secretary of the Department of Social Welfare Development and past president of the Philippine Heart Association, said most families allot only a small portion of their budget for medical expenses.

"The health expenditure per capita remains low at less P2,000 per year per family per capita and in constant 1985 prices, it remains at below P500 per capita," she said.

Cabral added that in 1997, 2000 and 2003 the family and income expenditure survey showed that medicines accounted for almost 50 percent of all the patients’ medical care expenditures.

"By providing a pharmacoeconomic alternative, your patients have bought more tablets than they used to buy at a much, much lower cost. This means that they are now protected from hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases for a longer period, much longer than before," John Dumpit, Therapharma’s general manager, told physicians during the anniversary gathering.