Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito (File photo from the Senate Social Media Unit)
MANILA, Philippines — Even government doctors might have been involved in an alleged “multi-level marketing networking” of expensive medicines with a local pharmaceutical company, Sen. JV Ejercito said on Monday.
Ejercito earlier identified the company as Bell-Kenz Pharma Inc., which is said to be giving huge commissions to doctors prescribing the firm’s more expensive medicines to patients.
Asked in an interview in the Senate if government doctors were involved in the alleged scheme, Ejercito said in Filipino: “There seems to be some in the list.”
This possible involvement of government doctors, he said, was alarming considering that the Universal Healthcare Law, which he authored, was supposed to bring down the prices of medicines.
“Of course [it’s alarming] because what happened here is that they seemed to have engaged in multi-level marketing networking. But this time, it’s medicines. That’s what’s difficult,” Ejercito said.
“There’s indeed a conflict especially if there are government doctors involved because our target for the government, especially for patients, is to lower their out-of-pocket costs. These are extra expenses. So that’s what we aim to address tomorrow,” he added.
The Senate Committee on Health will look into the controversy on Tuesday.
According to Ejercito, up to three “whistleblowers” or resource persons, including a patient, would face the probe.
He clarified that the investigation was not meant to “antagonize” the medical profession but to allow all parties to be heard and shed light on the issue.
Bell-Kenz already denied over the weekend what it described as “misinformed and unfounded allegations” against the company.
“Since our inception, Bell-Kenz has been steadfast in our pledge to serve all Filipinos,” it said in a statement to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
“Upholding the ethical standards of the local healthcare industry is paramount to us and we wholeheartedly endorse endeavors aimed at upholding the sanctity of the medical health-care system,” the drug firm added.
NOTE: AI Generated Content, used for English translation