Drug firm launches ‘Pro-Choice’ drive

A local pharmaceutical firm recently kicked off a “Pro-Choice” campaign that promotes affordable medicine for Filipinos, and enjoined a group of medical practitioners to follow its lead and give consumers better health through better choices of prescriptions.

During its recent formal launch, InnoGen Pharma Group Inc. also explained how the multinational drug companies that have been lording over the market contributes to the Philippines’ having one of the highest medicine prices in Asia, second only to Japan.

Dr. Lloyd Balajadia, executive director of InnoGen, lamented the fact that expensive medicine is detrimental to the health of millions of Filipinos, more than 40 million of whom “are financially unable to access the drugs that they need.”

InnoGen is a consortium of nine all-Filipino pharmaceutical companies that have banded together to address this issue of high medicine cost. Each is assigned to cover therapeutic areas.

The Aldril Pharmaceutical Inc. produces neurology and psychiatry medicine; Eadrix Pharmaceuticals Inc., dermatology; Metz Pharmaceuticals Inc., pulmonology; Randril International Co. Inc., rehabilitation medicine and anti-infectives; Solvang Pharmaceuticals Inc., obstetric and gynecology; Westfield Pharmaceuticals Inc., cardiology and gastroenterology; Vamsler Philippines Inc., internal medicine; Vitalink Health Products Inc., endocrinology and cardio-metabolic; and Dr. Zen’s Research Inc., anti-obesity and medical devices.

InnoGen provides second-to-originator pharmaceutical products, most of which are off-patent molecules, while some were licensed out through partnerships.

It has also spearheaded technology transfer and partnerships with big pharmaceutical companies abroad in a bid to access the latest equipment and facilities in the industry.

Pinky Cabe, product manager of InnoGen, said only a few Filipino pharmaceutical companies have the capability to develop these kinds of drugs.

“Our research and development capability is on a par with other companies in the world and our thrust is geared toward improving existing products into new forms and much better drugs that are cost-effective, efficient and of excellent quality,” she said.