2 lawmakers defend Roxas on cheap drugs bill

Two congressmen defended Sen. Manuel Roxas II against allegations that the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicine Act of 2008 he had crafted will not really bring down the spiraling cost of medicines.

Cavite Rep. Joseph Abaya urged critics to work instead for the “measure’s effective implementation rather than endlessly criticizing a bill that has yet to be signed into law.”

 “It’s being pilloried even if the President has yet to sign and implement it. The challenge for all of us is to work for the bill’s success rather than actively seek and promote its failure,” Abaya said.

Abaya issued the statement in the wake of criticism, including that of fellow congressman Philip Pichay of Surigao del Sur, describing the bill as “too diluted” that only “gives false hopes” to the consuming public.

Pichay said the version of Roxas and Sen. Pia Cayetano, which removed the generics-only and price regulatory board provisions, will “at most” only “delay the price increases” of big pharmaceutical industries.

He said the version is a “misnomer and is misleading.”  “Unfortunately, the provision was thrown down the drain, together with the last vestige of the measures’ effectiveness,” Pichay said.

He said the bill, “which started out as a noble vision, lost much of its promise and potency along the way until its ratification by Congress.”

Roxas has been pushing for a deregulated drug industry in the unified version of the Cheaper Medicine Bill for approval before the bicameral conference committee.

His proposal was met with criticism from congressmen who feared a deregulated drug industry would spawn a cartel among drug manufacturers that will dictate the prices of drugs, just like in the oil industry.

Abaya, a party mate of Roxas from the Liberal Party (LP), lamented that some lawmakers, even those from the administration, have “lack of faith” in the administration’s commitment to implement the law.

“The law provides the executive branch the full authority to lower the costs of medicine,” Abaya said.

Quezon Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III, for his part, called on the public and all stakeholder groups that helped in the passage of the law to be vigilant against moves to undermine the bill.

He said “certain interests continue to set the predicate for government’s failure to implement the law.”

“This is quite unfortunate because the people deserve more from their legislators,” Tañada said.

Pichay, vice chairman of the House committee on health, said “the resulting change in the people’s perspective would impact on consumer behavior,” by “encouraging them to try generics, consequently shaking up the pharmaceutical market.”

Pichay said the consolidated Cheaper Medicine Bill lacked the teeth to implement its noble objectives to bring down the cost of medicines.

“(They) will remain as mere objectives. This lamentable outcome of the much-hyped bill renders nugatory the people’s constitutional right to health and only fuels false hope that things are about to change for the better,” he said.

Pichay said the title of the bill, “The Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicine Act of 2008,” which has yet to be signed by President Arroyo into law, “is misleading and the body is feeble.”

He said the bill will not “bring about substantial roll down of prices of medicine in the Philippines.”

“We should not fool the people that the amendment of the Intellectual Property Code will considerably reduce prices once the law takes effect,” he said.