20 June 2005  
8332148/8334507

To Lower Price of Medicines

VICE-President Noli ‘Kabayan’ De Castro yesterday stressed the need to amend the patent law so that local drug manufacturers can produce branded medicines.

Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremonies for a Botika ng Bayan outlet in Sitio Talanay, Brgy. Batasan Hills in Quezon City, De Castro said branded medicines in India are cheaper because it has ‘friendlier’ laws that allow said drugs to be locally manufactured.

“If we really want most of our poor countrymen to gain access to branded medicines, we need to pressure our lawmakers to come up with a friendlier patent law,” he said.

For the meantime, De Castro said the Botika ng Bayan partly answers the problem since it sells medicines imported by the government from India.

With over 200 outlets nationwide, Botika ng Bayan sells various medicines that are more than 50 percent lower than those sold by the leading drugstores.

De Castro bared the government’s plans to put up 1,500 Botika ng Bayan outlets in the country before the year ends. “Multiply 1,500 by 3 or 4 and that would be the number of Botika ng Bayan outlets which the government plans to establish before the President’s term ends in 2010,” he added.

In coordination with Philippine International Trade Corporation (PITC), headed by Sec. Roberto Pagdanganan, the government launched the Botika ng Bayan program to address the problem of increasing prices of medicines.

Meanwhile, De Castro reminded the public not to believe allegations that drugs sold by Botika ng Bayan are fake. These allegations are only part of moves to disrupt the program. (end)

Ref no. VPMEDIA 05-074

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