By Kenneth Hartigan-Go, MD
WHILE Filipinos complain that the cost of medicines is prohibitive, they need to understand some of the problems associated with the local pharmaceutical industry. We hope that an enlightened public can participate in meaningful discussions and debates and offer solutions.
The Philippine Pharmaceutical Industry in general, lags behind its global and even Asian counterparts. It has been continuously confronted and impaired by various challenges for so many decades.
A number of issues have been raised and addressed both locally and internationally.
Comparative studies and criticisms were brought into the limelight leading to some attempts at reform. Nonetheless the Philippine pharmaceutical industry as a whole remains incompetent as indicated by inaccessible and poor-quality drugs, aggravated by the threat of inappropriate use, the insufficient quantity and quality pharmacists, poor research and technological development. We are not exactly self-sufficient and hence pose a problem in drug security.
Despite regulatory efforts from both the government and some of the private sector, the pharmaceutical market remains inflicted by perception of substandard, counterfeit drugs that threaten the life of the patients. This observation also contributes significantly to pharmaceutical market failure. While substandard drugs may be cheaper, there is a perceived quality problem and thus there is lowered patronage for their use, affecting even true quality generics products.
Aside from the regulatory mechanisms, accepted standards in manufacturing, such as the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), are still just an ideal concept. There are fewer than 10 drug companies complying fully with GMP. The implementation of full compliance to GMP has been repeatedly postponed. The prevailing argument of domestic drug companies is that they cannot afford to invest in compliance to GMP.
Compliance to regulatory bodies and accepted standards remain widely unimplemented. The inability of the bureau and low compliance in accepted standards undermines the quality, safety and efficacy of the pharmaceutical product.
The Philippine Pharmaceutical industry, in general, falls short of generating research to extract and produce raw materials and chemicals from local sources. Some reports assert that there is research that is happening. However the problem is that it remains at the academic level and is not translated to commercial development. The research fails to reach industry and thus is not utilized into marketable innovative products or processes.
Local industry hardly innovates, in terms of basic research to provide inputs for further local development.
The industry’s manufacturing capacity is primarily limited to compounding, formulating, and packaging. It remains highly reliant on imported raw materials and chemicals. The production process in the local pharmaceutical industry basically involves the conversion of the imported basic raw materials into pharmaceutical preparations or finished pharmaceutical products, except for a few companies engaged in the manufacture of active substances.
As shown by the World Health Organization Study in 2005, about 95% of the materials compounded in the country are imported and that the industry is dependent on products discovered and developed in another country. Industry reasons out that this is either due to the absence of these raw materials or that producing innovative products or processes entails high cost that the industry can not sustain. As it is cheaper to import finished medicine products or readily available raw materials than come up with innovative one, reason coerces industry to take advantage on it.
From a philosophical perspective, our country has to decide and resolve how to treat medicinal products and the health professionals who are proxy to access to health care.
Are medicinal products a regulated public good to serve the needs of a growing but poor population or are they treated as like ordinary commodities of trade subject to the market forces? Are health professionals who exercise great power over access to health care services and products to be treated like an economic commodity likewise subject to the laws of market forces or are they regulated professions intended to serve the public good?
Kenneth Hartigan-Go is a former BFAD Deputy Director and is currently Executive Director of a foundation. He is an appointed expert member of the Congressional Commission on Science, Technology and Engineering (COMSTE) Health Panel.
Why the RP pharma industry is not competitive
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I hope to see more improvements on our pharma industry.
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I think the pharma industry should focus more on discount vitamins and herbs when and if possible to help the consumer feel they are making a good choice. It's not their fault actually... it's more of a marketing/PR issue.
There are a lot of pharmacy firms that have big prices on the pills and there are more and more people that buy steroids online because this way they pay less money and they avoid the conventions from this industry .
If the pharma industry of the country is really lacking behind, serious steps should be implemented so that the patients do not have to travel to some other countries for treatment which is very expensive. When the medical section in the country is not fit and not well equipped to treat it's own people, how does it aim to serve the people? because if the health of it's own citizens are not taken well care of how can it expect to have productive citizens?
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I just want to that When the medical section in the country is not fit and not well equipped to treat it's own people, how does it aim to serve the people?
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Despite regulatory efforts from both the government and some of the private sector, the pharmaceutical market remains inflicted by perception of substandard, counterfeit drugs that threaten the life of the patients. This observation also contributes significantly to pharmaceutical market failure. While substandard drugs may be cheaper, there is a perceived quality problem and thus there is lowered patronage for their use, affecting even true quality generics products. Aside from the regulatory mechanisms, accepted standards in manufacturing, such as the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), are still just an ideal concept.
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When the medical section in the country is not fit and not well equipped to treat it's own people, how does it aim to serve the people? because if the health of it's own citizens
The pharmaceutical industry may be behind but that has a big advantage: as we more often nowadays, it seems that drugs are not that beneficial for the human body and natural ailments should be the main concern for us... to develop in the close future...
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The pharmaceutical industry shouldn't be a concern because you never know how that can backfire... Look at the developed countries... Pharmaceutical companies do not support medical research for cancer, AIDS and other fatal diseases because that would destroy some of their most profitable income with current treatments... Seattle Chiropractors
I think that pinoy people have a a superb chance to develop the naturist branch of medical treatment which can be a lot cheaper than chemicals...
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I hope to see more improvements on our pharma industry.
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The pharma industry is very important, but then again, let's not forget that the pharma industry today does not support medical research for the major health problems of today such as cancer and AIDS, addiction treatments... and many others that could solve a lot of problems... they care only about profit...
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If the pharma industry of the country is really lacking behind, serious steps should be implemented so that the patients do not have to travel to some other countries for treatment which is very expensive.
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Maybe the new bill will pass and the cost of medicines will drop so people can actually afford to buy drugs from the pharmacy... Kratom Extract
As many people have said before, being able to afford medical care is crucial for any person that lives in a country:poor or rich... I spent some time with California drug rehab because of some personal problems and I have no idea what I would have done if I didn't get help.
Along with the growing number of health problems and the lack of insurance is a horrible mix. A lot of people aren't getting the help they need because they either, aren't covered or can't afford it without health insurance. I have to find the best drug rehab I could find to get the help I needed and it dipped far into my wallet and savings account. I couldn't risk not going, I probably wouldn't be here today.
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Drugs play a vital role in the prevention and treatment of most diseases.They should be taken only on prescription by a registered medical practitioner.Therefore medicines should only be taken as directed by the doctor.
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