More Filipinos turning to generic drugs, says DOH

Health Secretary Enrique Ona: Generic medicines significantly cheaper. AFP File Photo

MANILA, Philippines—Five to six out of 10 Filipinos now take generic medicine, signifying its wider acceptance 25 years after the enactment of the Generics Act of 1988, according to the Department of Health.

Health Undersecretary Madeleine Herrera, who made the statement during Monday’s summit marking the law’s 25th anniversary, cited the 2011 Assessment of Cheaper Medicines Act of 2008, which strengthened the Generics Law, which was signed by President Corazon Aquino on Sept. 13, 1988.

Herrera placed the generic medicines’ awareness level for Greater Manila Area at 65 percent, with Luzon at 48 percent and the Visayas and Mindano at 53 percent.

The summit’s theme, “Generics Pangkalusugan, Gamot Pangkalahatan,” highlights the importance of access to medicines in the attainment of universal healthcare.

“Generic medicines are now significantly cheaper by more than 50 percent compared to its branded counterparts,” Health Secretary Enrique Ona said in his keynote speech.

Ona noted that the long list of discrepancies and inefficiencies from the manufacture, distribution, pricing, prescription and using of regular drugs prompted the government to institute a comprehensive national policy on pharmaceutical production and consumption.

Today, the market share of generic medicine is 60 percent. Generic drugstore Generics Pharmacy leads the pack with 1,300 branches nationwide, followed by Generika and Botika Pinoy.

Dr. Carmencita Noriega-Reodica, former health secretary, said the generics law had faced resistance from multinational companies and the private sector but strategies to make the people aware and give them informed choices on medicines had made generics acceptable, affordable and accessible.

The event also awarded the Gawad Generics to the people who worked for the passage of the law, including legislators, government officials, nongovernment organizations, civil society organizations, members of the academe and media.

Among the awardees were generics law authors Sen. Joker Arroyo and former Senators Orlando Mercado, Joseph Estrada and Edgardo Angara.

Herrera said the services of the Food and Drugs Administration were being strengthened to face the continuing challenge of ensuring low-cost but quality medicines.

“We also want to bring back the aggressiveness in monitoring prescriptions,” which could be done through pharmacies and PhilHealth reimbursements, she said.

The generics law requires doctors to prescribe generic drugs, with an option to include the branded counterpart.

Herrera said the DOH was also pushing for price referencing on medicines and implementing a clinical practice guideline so that doctors would have a standard for writing prescriptions.