A more agile, responsive system for approving life-saving medicines could soon become reality, as the Philippine Pharma Procurement, Inc. (PPPI) backed a proposal to establish a National Drug Committee.
Speaking at a recent forum hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, PPPI President and CEO Undersecretary Maria Blanca Kim Lokin emphasized the urgent need to reform how medicines and vaccines are evaluated and approved for government use,
“This proposal could be a game changer for the public healthcare sector,” Lokin said. “It allows us to be more proactive in addressing the real-time needs of our population. From the approval of new medications to ensuring that the drugs in our formulary are relevant, up to date and available, this committee could significantly improve access to medicines.”
Currently, before a new medicine can be procured by the government, it has to go through a rigid approval process in the Health Technology Council (HTAC), under the DOST. The assessment process ideally should take an average of 1 to 2 years, but the DOST is now facing many challenges in evaluating health technologies, resulting to significant delays and backlog. However, the undersecretary clarified that the proposed drug committee is not meant to replace the HTAC but only to unburden it and relieve it of its current situation.
PPPI is taking a broader role in closing this gap. With its mandate under Republic Act 9502, the agency is pushing for reforms across the pharmaceutical value chain, from procurement and policy to delivery and public education.
Beyond physical access, Lokin also highlighted the importance of building public trust. “Access is not enough—we must also build confidence, especially in vaccines and newer therapies, as misinformation continues to be a barrier to public health,” she said.
