The Department of Trade and Industry, in coordination with the Department of Health, placed popular branded medicines on a purchase cap to prevent artificial shortage and a possible escalation in pricing effective yesterday (Tuesday).
Given the magnitude of daily COVID cases that has breached the 30,000 mark Monday, the DTI decided to limit the purchases of medicines lest there could be an actual shortage of drugs in the next few days.
Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies gave their assurance that there was enough inventory to serve the needs of the general public.
United Laboratories, Inc. confirmed it has as much as 2 months’ worth of inventory of in-demand medicines on hand.
Also, authorities seized P30 million worth of counterfeit medicines like paracetamol and other drugs used to treat COVID-19 patients during a raid in Paranaque City. The raid conducted by the Bureau of Customs came amid the public’s struggle to access over-the-counter drugs.
In other developments, the government is coordinating with other drug manufacturers to expand the emergency use authorization of coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines for pediatric vaccination.
National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer, Secretary, Carlito Galvez Jr., said they are eyeing the use of other brands of coronavirus jabs for the younger population.
The Food and Drug Administration has also granted the application of the Department of Health for compassionate special permit for Bexovid, the generic and more affordable version of Pfizer’s anti-COVID-19 Paxlovid.
According to FDA director general Dr. Oscar Gutierrez, the less expensive anti-viral would be distributed to government hospitals.
“Since this is generic, this would be less expensive compared to Paxlovid,” Gutierrez reported in President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People.
Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo assured consumers of a stable supply of medicines, despite the rising surge in infection and the burgeoning demand for therapeutic drugs.
“There is no shortage. We just want supply in retail stores to meet the demand. Deliveries need to catch up with demand. Deliveries are now being expedited,” she said.
In the joint memorandum circular signed by the DTI and DOH Tuesday, retailers were enjoined to limit the sale, and consumers to limit the purchase, of the medicines cited in the JMC.
Specifically, the purchase of over-the-counter drugs like paracetamol was limited to 20 tablets per individual and maximum of 60 tablets per household while paracetamol in suspension form was limited to 5 units per individual and 10 units per household.
Colds medicines such as phenylephrine hydrochloride and chlorpheniramine maleate, popularly known as Neozep and Decolgen, were restricted to a purchase cap of 20 tablets per individual and a total of 60 tablets per household, while liquid suspension was capped at 5 units per individual or a total of 10 units per household.
Cough medicines, notably carbocisteine, are available at maximum of 20 capsules per individual and 60 capsules per household. In suspension form, consumers are allowed to buy 5 units per individual and a cap of 10 units per household.
Citing Section 2 of Republic Act 9502, or the Cheaper Medicines Act, the DTI reiterated the policy of the state to protect public health
and its authority to adopt appropriate measures to promote and ensure access to affordable quality drugs and medicines for all, in dire
circumstances or extreme urgency.
The Trade Department said it was not likely to have a shortage situation since there are hundreds of generic brands available
nationwide.
“People just got used to the branded ones,” Castelo said, adding that the JMC will be in place until retail stocks and the demand stabilized or earlier if demand goes down.
Bexovid is the world’s first generic version of the US FDA-approved brand Paxlovid made by Pfizer. Its generic names are nirmatrelvir and
ritonavir.
Gutierrez’s presentation said Bexovid was made by Beximco Pharm, Inc. and would be distributed in the Philippines by Biocare Lifescience, Inc.
The treatment is said to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by 89 percent if given within three days of the onset of symptoms and
by 88 percent if given within five days.
Gutierrez said the FDA met with Pfizer representatives on January 7, adding the firm was likely to file an application for an emergency use authority in the country in the last week of the month.
At present the FDA has given EUAs for the COVID-19 anti-viral drugs casirivimab and imdevimab or Ronapreve, and molnupiravir or Molnarz.
It has a certificate of product registration for remdesivir or Covifor.
Seized were counterfeit drugs such as Biogesic, Neozep, Bioflu, Immunpro, Ivermectin, Phenokinon F Injection, Medicol, Flanax, Alaxan
FR, and MX3, among others.
The seized items were found in two storage facilities situated at 7434B and 7434C Highland Street, Marcelo Green Village and 27 Pearl
Street, Severina Subdivision, Km 18, in Barangay Marcelo, both in Paranaque City.
Operatives of the Manila International Container Port – Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service conducted the operation with the help from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, Intelligence Service Armed Forces of
the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard on Jan. 5.
Certification from the Food and Drug Administration and Unilab Pharmaceuticals, the makers of market-leading paracetamol brand
Biogesic stated that the seized medicines were counterfeit.
The counterfeit medicines were packed in cartons with tags of Chinese characters.
The raiding team also arrested one Adel Rajput, a Pakistani national, 31 years old, a resident of Caloocan City. He was brought to the Paranaque City Prosecutors’ Office for investigation and will face various criminal cases.
The suspect’s visa will be revoked by the Bureau of Immigration. MICP-CIIS chief Alvin Enciso said the raid was made based on the
Letter of Authority together with the Mission Order signed by Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero.
“We received reports about the presence of counterfeit items. It’s not just items, but medicines. We acted on this immediately because this can pose a health threat. They are selling these to unsuspecting people whose only hope is to buy authentic medicines for themselves and their loved ones,” said Raniel Ramiro, Customs Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence Group.
The goods were immediately hauled to the Customs premises, though the inspection and inventory are still ongoing.
On Nov. 24, Customs men also seized fake medicines from a warehouse in Pasig City such as Alaxan, Tuseran Forte, Propan, and Diatabs with an estimated value of P50 million.
Guerrero lamented how these businesses are operating during this time of pandemic.
“It is sad how these criminals are using the pandemic for their own gain, especially when it comes to medicines. These are medicines that people thought will relieve them of their pain, their conditions. It is unforgivable that these individuals are using people’s desperation
to earn money,” he said.
The Customs chief noted reports that there’s a shortage of basic over-the-counter medicines in the National Capital Region (NCR) and
neighboring provinces because of the surge in COVID-19 cases and the flu season.
“We are coordinating with other brand manufacturers so that we can have EUA for ages 3 to 11 years old,” Galvez reported to President
Rodrigo Duterte during the pre-recorded Talk to the People aired on state-run People’s Television Network late Monday night.
The Food and Drug Administration has already approved the use of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for the 12 to 17 age bracket.
Galvez said the government targets to start the administration of primary doses to some 12.5 million minors aged 5 to 11 years old
within the second quarter this year.
The lower dosages of the Pfizer vaccine for the age bracket “might be available by the end of January,” according to Galvez.
About 11.11 million aged zero to four years old may also be inoculated by April while some 10.2 million children in the 12 to 17 age group
should have already received booster doses by June.