The Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) is confident the country could position itself as regional hub for biopharmaceutical innovation.
PHAP in a statement said it fully supports the Department of Trade’s priority agenda to promote the development and growth of health and life sciences in the country and said the Philippines can be part of the actual research and development (R&D) process in biopharmaceuticals by using its various stages as entry point such as clinical trials.
According to Diana Edralin, PHAP president and Roche Philippines general manager, the country is currently an active participant in the conduct of clinical trials, ranking third in Southeast Asia in the number of clinical trials after Thailand and Singapore with
“When we participate in global clinical trials, we are creating early access to innovation, bringing in major investments, and building the scientific capacity of fellow Filipinos to pursue pharmaceutical R&D,” Edralin said.
PHAP is the DTI’s designated lead in the Industry Strengthening Working Group created to develop and realize the Integrated Roadmap of the Philippine Pharmaceutical Industry.
Dr. Beaver Tamesis, PHAP chairman emeritus, for his part expressed the group’s commitment to work with the DTI and related agencies in building capacity and in fostering an environment conducive to innovation to make available life-saving biopharmaceuticals for Filipinos and even to people in neighboring countries in the long term.
The group assured that its members continue to be in the forefront of research and development and distribution of not only diagnostics, vaccines and medicines for the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) but more so of other diseases that impact Filipinos.
PHAP also said it will continue working with the DTI to pursue pandemic recovery and foster pharmaceutical security for an uninterrupted supply of life-saving medicines, vaccines and diagnostics amidst global demand or political instability in other regions. – Irma Isip
