President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday urged doctors to support the government's campaign to reduce the price of medicines by prescribing generic drugs to their patients.
Ms Arroyo made the call in a speech at the centennial celebration of the Philippine General Hospital in Malacañang.
The President paid tribute to the hospital by giving P100 million towards a PGH rehabilitation fund to modernize the hospital, “P1 million for every year of service to the people.”
She promised to give the hospital P100 million every year up to the end of her term in 2010.
Ms Arroyo said that while more than 90 percent of all medicines are off-patent and can be manufactured locally, 90 percent of medicines sold in the market are branded and much more expensive than the generic ones.
Cartel
“What's the explanation? A cartel with 70 percent market share controls the marketing channels, thus the typical consumer or the typical patient is unaware that doctors can … prescribe cheaper generics available in the market,” Ms Arroyo said.
The President said local pharmaceutical companies have been manufacturing the same high-quality medicines that are priced 70 percent lower than branded medicines.
She said the Philippine International Trading Corp. was making headway in the campaign to reduce drugs prices through parallel importation of medicines which it sells in Botika ng Bayan (People's Pharmacy), government hospitals and National Food Authority outlets nationwide.
Prescribe generics
“The government's efforts to reduce the cost of medicines is a success story in the making. But we need your [the doctors'] support by prescribing generics to your patients,” Ms Arroyo said.
She also urged Congress to pass the Cheaper Medicines Act, a bill which she certified as urgent but which the previous Congress did not approve.
“Please support that bill as well,” she said.
The President gave tribute to the PGH which is celebrating 100 years of existence.
Ms Arroyo said the PGH was one of three Philippine hospitals chosen by Time Magazine in a recent survey of the best hospitals in Asia.
“The P100 million PGH rehabilitation fund is our way of saying a hundred million thanks to the grand old dame of public hospitals,” she said.
PGH director Dr. Carmelo Alfiler said the President gave P100 million to the hospital last year which was used to buy modern medical equipment and to renovate the hospital's pay block.
Ms Arroyo handed Alfiler a P50 million check from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., and said another P50 million check from the lotto proceeds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office was forthcoming.
“The amount will be for PGH modernization and acquisition of modern equipment so that those who suffer can afford a new lease on life,” she said.
Ms Arroyo said she plans to put up kidney, lung and heart centers in four key regions -- Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Albay.
For Mike and Mikey
“I am glad that as part of your future plans, you will be institutionalizing networking with other hospitals in the country. That's a good idea because you will be replicating the lung, heart and kidney centers in other cities so that any Mike, not only my Mike and my Mikey, can get better care,” she said.
Ms Arroyo was referring to her husband Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, who underwent open heart surgery last April, and their eldest son, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, who suffered nephrotic syndrome when he was 12.
Nephrotic syndrome -- or dropsy in layman's terms -- is a common kidney disorder afflicting children in which protein is leaked from the blood to the urine.
The President said Alfiler correctly diagnosed Mikey's disease and treated him for five years until he was 17. She recalled that relatives were concerned that the massive doses of the steroid that was used to treat Mikey would stunt his growth.
“Nonetheless, thank God, and through Dr. Alfiler's expert treatment, he got well and grew enough to be an adult. So thank you very much for saving my son's life and now thank you for serving our country through your leadership of the PGH,” the President said.
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