WHAT has our country become? Are we still democratic or is this the start of our shift to totalitarianism?
With the passage of the cheaper medicines bill, our right to choose what we want to buy and how much we want to spend for it has now been curtailed. Now the government will start telling you what to buy and dictate to businesses how much they must sell their goods for.
Businesses are now at the mercy of the government as they will now be run from the outside. Entrepreneurs be warned! It is now dangerous to set up shop in the Philippines. No wonder foreign investors pulled out, which made our stock market fall 100 points (3 percent) today. I cannot believe that our congressmen could pass such a bill that has effectively cut free trade in this country built and known for its democratic way of life.
How I wish they could have considered these several points that I will highlight:
1. There are costs in producing medicines. The higher the quality, the more investment that will be needed. How can you produce a 500mg Amoxicillin capsule at P1.50 if the cost of the raw materials alone, less the production cost, is already at P2.50??? What does this tell you? I wonder just how much of the medicine is actually inside these capsules; do the math. Will these congressmen honestly use generic brands when their own children get sick? Take this P1.50 Amoxicillin in front of a camera Mr. Congressman.
2. Researching a new drug takes years to develop. The company will run countless tests and endless re-tests to develop a brand. This will take millions, even billions in investment. The patent will ensure that they are properly compensated for all the hardship. Now, the government would like to just step in and cash in on the hard work of others.
3. Parallel importation is so unfair to business as the government will benefit from the marketing and promotion of the company selling the brand locally. Plus the fact that now, you won’t be sure if the branded product that you are buying is the real thing or the low quality parallel-imported one. Has everyone forgotten that the reason for getting into business is to earn a profit? The pharmaceutical industry is a business, my dear congressmen, not a charitable institution. Therefore, it is not their fault if they are selling and promoting their products for profit! The best that you could have done for the people is to put an end to corruption and give out free medicine, which we taxpayers have paid for. Our health centers have long been out of stock of vaccines and medicines that used to be given for free to the poor. Where has the budget for all these products gone? We have one of the highest taxes in the region, yet this benefit is not being enjoyed by the poor. This is because for every peso collected, only 0.40 goes back to us and we lose the rest to corruption.
The passage of this bill sends chills to my spine as now it has set the precedent for other monstrous things to happen. Who’s to suffer next? Maybe the cost of the Louis Vuitton bag is much too high for the government that they would next pass a bill telling LV to sell it at only P500.00 as they find it overpriced! I really am dreading what’s in store for businesses here in this country. Totalitarianism will drive our booming economy to the ground.
– Paul Santillana, Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, Philippines (via e-mail)
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January 27th, 2008 at 9:05 am
You are obviously a joke, Paul.
My wife is a former med rep, and I know the ins and outs of the business.
I’ve been in India and saw how cheap their medicines are.
Stop your cyber whining and accept the fact that your days of greedy materialistic selfish way are over !
January 26th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
“2. Researching a new drug takes years to develop. The company will run countless tests and endless re-tests to develop a brand. This will take millions, even billions in investment. The patent will ensure that they are properly compensated for all the hardship. Now, the government would like to just step in and cash in on the hard work of others.”
Really now? The fact is, this R & D cost should have already been recovered upon the medicine’s introduction in first world countries.
The government has every right to step in and introduce measures in the form of laws to counteract this greed for profit of pharmas courtesy of your so-called free-trade. While any intervention will never be enough, we should at least credit the government for doing its job (at least this time).
I don’t blame you, maybe Pfizer is sending food to your table. It’s understandable if you have to defend your job. Credit the legislators if its the poor majority they’re defending versus your group. After all, we expect it from them.
January 23rd, 2008 at 5:38 am
do not bother
Hi Paul,
Are you a doctor or a Med Rep? Don’t be afraid to lose ’some’ commission as you’ll be depositing some kindness to heaven by helping the poor.
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That well never happen! Doctor’s are partner of drug’s/insurance company’s. They’re making plenty of money from these co. Of course they’re opposing the generic drug! There goes their livehound ika nga!
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Paul,
Thats not Doctor Of Medicine for DOM to clarify matters later. I dont have medical expertise at all except to advise my partners not to forget their pills.
Generics or cheap medicine bill are misnomers. Just a waste of salivas. Palabas lang like a promise. Everyone knows things will cost more tomorrow. Even medicines. Prices wont stay permanent. Only my haircut. Theres nothing to cut anyway anymore.
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I found helpful facts for people who have a lot of misconceptions (and doubts) about generic drugs. It’s on the website of the US Food and Drug Administration - Office of Generic Drugs (they even have an office for generic drugs!).
Here’s the link: http://www.fda.gov/cder/ogd/