Cheap medicine bill submitted to GMA by next week; Biron

MANILA, Philippines – Iloilo Rep. Fergenel Biron said the Cheaper Medicine bill will be submitted to President Arroyo for her final approval into law, possibly next week after the bicameral conference committee reconciles the Senate and the House of Representatives’ version within the week.

The bill, which was certified by President Arroyo as urgent, has already overcome all major stumbling blocks for its final passage into law, Biron told The STAR in an interview at the Sulo Hotel in Quezon City.

He said the lobby group spearheaded by multinational drug companies initially criticized the bill but the people’s clamor apparently prevailed.

“The voice of the people had prevailed, at least we can now expect government intervention in bringing down the prices of the medicine,” Biron said.

He said the drug companies have opposed the price regulatory provision of the bill.

Biron, principal author of the bill, said the bicameral conference committee is now finalizing the final version that will be submitted to President Arroyo for her signature.

A last-ditch effort to derail the passage of the bill was made by a group of doctors who threatened to go on a national hospital holiday or strike to protest to the bill’s provision that would require doctors to only use the generic names of drugs and not branded drugs in their prescriptions.

The insertion of the generics-only provision was initially blamed on Biron and other lawmakers, but after a review of the House transcript it was confirmed that the Department of Health submitted the position paper regarding the generics provision’s insertion.

“It was an input by the DOH that the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) is trying to blame on us, it could be part of the move to derail the passage of the bill,” Biron said.