A consumer group urged the Department of Health (DOH) to come up with a list of medicines covered by the maximum drug retail price (MRDP) to ensure this program is being implemented.
Vic Dimagiba, president of Laban Konsyumer Inc. (LKI) in a statement said the executive order lowering the prices of over a hundred medicines under MRDP took effect May 18 but no public information campaign has been done.
Old stocks can be sold at previous prices until June 1 per DOH memorandum dated March 24, 2020.
EO 104 took effect 90 days from February 17, the date signed by the President and uploaded in the Official Gazette.
But LKI notes the absence and lack of information dissemination on the side of the government.
”Where are the list and the new retail prices for the information of consumers?,” Dimagiba said,
“While we still struggle to make money and raise enough funds for our expenses, medicine prices will be going down very soon. The implementation of the cheaper drugs and medicines must be applied immediately for the good and sake of all consumers,” he added.
The EO lowers the prices of 135 medicines by 45 to 55 percent of their current prices. These include hypertension, diabetes, anti-asthma, anti- coagulant, anti-depressant, and anti-viral medicines.
The local pharmaceutical industry has asked for a review of the EO in the light of the new coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
