The Department of Health (DOH) has recently ordered some pharmacies and private hospitals to explain their side and why they should not be sanctioned for defying the government price control on some essential medicines. DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said that they are already investigating “few cases” because of the violations of Executive Order 821 which set the maximum drug retail price (MDRP) on the 21 medicines which are said to be sold at very high prices.
“Right now a few cases are being investigated and we’ll be filing cases once we’ve consolidated the reports,” he said when interviewed at the launch of the Regenerative Medicine Laboratory of the Medical City. He also said that the public and the media should report to DOH the different pharmacies that sell regulated medicines at exorbitant prices.
Meanwhile, DOH Undersecretary Alexander Padilla said in a separate interview said that the step that they are doing in monitoring the pharmacies show that “90 percent” of pharmacies and hospitals complied with the MDRP, which became effective last August 15.
So far so good, better than expected,” he said when asked about the compliance. “There are a few violations and we’re investigating them. We have already asked them to explain,” Padilla added.
However, Padilla did not name the violators instead he said that they already gave the owners of the drug retail outlets three days to explain why they should not be sanctioned.
The Republic Act 9502 or otherwise known as the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008 gave DOH the power to impose administrative fines and penalties against person, manufacturer, importer, trader, distributor, wholesaler, retailer or any other entity found guilty of violating the said act. The fine actually range from P50,000 to P5 million.
