DOH advocates cheap generic medicines

By Carlito C. Dar

BAGUIO CITY - - The Center for Health and Development-Cordillera urged the public to buy generic drugs as these are affordable and effective as branded medicines.

           

CHD-CAR Food and Drug Regulation Officer II Saturnina Pandosen, stressed this in  a  media forum  for their  health campaign  this September as Generics Awareness Month with  the theme, “Generics na de-kalidad para sa Kalusugan ng Komyunidad”.

           

According to Pandosen, for 22 years now, the government through Republic Act 9502, also known as the Cheaper Medicine Act, worked to regulate and bring down up to 50  percent the price of drugs and medicines in the country.

           

“The Generic Laws is centered on three “A”s - to ensure Access, Availability and Affordable drugs and medicines, in every community, especially to the less privileged  sector of the society,” Pandosen said.

           

She added, the government, through DOH, is implementing programs such as the  Complete Pack Treatment, a program designed to provide access on complete treatment regimen  composed of generic medicines  for the top most common diseases in the country.

           

The COMPAC is  being offered in  government hospitals and pharmacies at an affordable price of P100. It is  also  given for free for  Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program beneficiaries.

           

Pandosen said the DOH has the Botikasa Barangay project that ensures availability of affordable medicines in barangays.

           

Under the program, the government provided P25,000 a start-up capital to every barangay or community group that applied for the program.

           

There are 782 Botikang Barangay in Cordillera, she said.

Pandosen, said DOH certified generic drugs or medicines have the same potential as their branded counterparts  as  these passed through  the rigid bio-equivalency test before these  are  put out in the market.