Secretary of Health Francisco Duque III on Thursday announced the full implementation of drug price caps starting March 23, 2022 pursuant to Executive Order (EO) No. 155 signed by President Duterte.
This brings the total number of drugs covered by the maximum drug retail price to 121 molecules or 204 drug formulations, following the first round of price regulation implemented in June 2020 with the issuance of EO No. 104 covering 87 molecules.
The Department of Health (DOH) said the medicines covered by EO No. 155 address the top diseases in the country such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and colorectal, lung, and breast cancers.
Additionally, selected medicines recommended by patient groups and medical societies have been included to benefit special populations such as those with chronic kidney disease, organ transplantation, thalassemia, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus.
The DOH explained that the Maximum Drug Retail Price (MDRP) is the highest amount a retailer may charge to a consumer for a medicine placed under price regulation. Prices of medicines were reduced at a median of 40 percent from current retail prices. Reductions were up to as much as 93 percent.
No medicine under price regulation should be sold at a price higher than the MDRP.
On top of the MDRP, senior citizens and persons-with-disability (PWDs) are still eligible to avail themselves of special discounts.
Violations of the MDRP are subject to administrative fines and penalties ranging from P50,000 to P5,000,000 as mandated by Republic Act No. 9502 or the Cheaper Medicines Act.
The DOH, through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), monitors compliance to the MDRP as part of the government’s thrust to improve access to affordable, quality medicines and reduce the health-related expenses of Filipinos, consistent with the goals of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act.
“The Department of Health is delighted to bring the good news to the Filipino people that they will now enjoy lower drug prices for more diseases amid the rising economic turmoil brought about by recent global events The maximum drug retail prices (MDRP) will bring relief to the Filipinos all over the country as they can now better afford the medicines,” Duque said.
The Health chief also expressed gratitude to the pharmaceutical industry for its cooperation in the drug pricing reforms of the national government and continued support in the efforts of the DOH in assuring the continuous availability and affordability of medicines.
For a copy of the EO 155, MDRP Medicines List, Directory of Regional Drug Price Monitoring Officers (RDPMOs) and complaints form, the public may visit https://pharma.doh.gov.ph./