President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered regulating the prices of more drugs and medicines which are used to address the leading causes of morbidity in the country, Malacañang said.
The President signed Executive Order 155 on Tuesday which sets the maximum retail price and/or maximum wholesale price on 34 drug molecules or 71 drug formulae used in agents affecting bone metabolism, analgesics, anesthetics, anti-angina, antiarrhythmics, anti-asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease medicines, antibiotics, anticoagulants, anticonvulsants, antidiabetic drugs, antidiuretics, and antiemetics.
EO 155 also covers drug formulas that are utilized in anti-glaucoma, anti-hypercholesterolemia medicines, antihypertensive medicines, anti-neoplastic/anti-cancer medicines, anti-Parkinson’s drugs, drugs for overactive bladders, growth hormone inhibitors, immunosuppressant drugs, iron chelating agents, and psoriasis, seborrhea and ichthyosis medicines.
The EO mandates all manufacturers, importers, distributors, wholesalers, traders, and retailers to “display the retail price which shall not exceed the MRP,” Malacañang said Wednesday.
“After conducting a price review using the methods of international reference pricing among ASEAN countries, mark-up regulation, and stakeholders’ consultation, the TWG [Technical Working Group] recommended, and the DOH [Department of Health] endorsed the imposition of MPR and MWP on the remaining drug formulas of selected drugs and medicines,” the EO read.
“Consistent with the overall strategy under RA 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act to improve the access to affordable and quality medicines and reduce health-related out-of-pocket expenses of Filipinos, there is a need to further impose MRP and MWP on other drugs and medicines commonly used for the leading causes of morbidity in the country,” it added.
The EO said: “Every manufacturer, importer, distributor, wholesaler, trader or retailer of a drug/medicine intended for sale shall display the retail price which shall not exceed the MRP.”
The MRP, preceded by the words ‘Retail price not to exceed’ and ‘Under drug price regulation’ on a red strip, shall be clearly printed on the label of the immediate container of the drug and medicine and the minimum pack thereof offered for retail.
“The labeling shall also be applied to drug formulas or medicines under MRP through EO 104.”
