Price of hypertension, pneumonia cures slashed

CEBU, Philippines - Prices of medicines for the top two leading diseases in Central Visayas have been slashed by as much as fifty percent by the Department of Health in compliance with the Cheaper Medicines Law, making them more affordable and accessible to the people, Senator Mar Roxas said yesterday.

The LP vice presidential bet said that the price reduction of medicines for hypertension and pneumonia, which research showed was most prevalent in the Visayas, will mean an extra budget for households for basic needs such as food, educational allowance and utility bills.

“Napakagandang balita po nito. Unti-unti ng nararamdaman ng ating mga kababayan ang tagumpay ng ating laban para sa mas murang mga gamot,” said Roxas, primary author of the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act.

The Visayan senator said for pneumonia and other respiratory tract infections, the drug Zithromax (Azithromycin 500 mg) was among the first in the list of medicines put under the Maximum Retail Price provision of the law.

Zithromax can now be bought for P151.43, which is 50 percent lower than its previous retail price of P302.90.

The first MRP list also included the hypertension drug Norvasc (Amlodipine 5mg), which should now be sold by drugstores at P22.85 a piece from its previous price of P46.25.

He added three more hypertension drugs were included in the second list of medicines covered by the Government-Mediated Access Price program.

These are Logimax (Felodipine + metropolol 5 mg) from P57 to P31; Cozaar (Losartan potassium 50 mg) from P43 to P21.50; and Hyzaar (Losartan potassium+hydrochlorothiazide 50 mg) from PP47.50 to P20.75.

The GMAP initiative involves the voluntary reduction of drug prices by their manufacturers while the MRP is imposed by the government on essential but expensive medicines whose prices drug makers refuse to cut.

Roxas added that families can now use their daily savings from the discounted medicines to buy additional kilos of rice, more cans of sardines or extra packs of noodles. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/BRP   FREEMAN NEWS)