Pharmaceuticals law management: Assessment of feasibility and effectiveness of the Universally Accessible Cheaper Medicines Act of 2008
Abstract
The study aimed to assess if Republic Act No. 9502, otherwise known as Cheaper Medicines Act of 2008 has been adequately implemented in making cardiovascular medicines accessible and affordable in the Philippines. Sample respondents from the City of Manila, Makati City and Quezon were interviewed. These include pharmaceutical companies, pharmacists, cardiologists, internal medicine specialists, and out-patients from charity wards of selected public and private hospitals and drugstores were interviewed. Results of the study showed that after two years of the implementation of the Act, medicines are still expensive and branded medicines are still dispensed, prescribed and purchased more than medicines. Stakeholders have low level of perception of the Act resulting to non-compliance. They also believed that the Act is not strong enough to enforce generic prescription while patients are apprehensive of the effectiveness of generic medicines. Pharmaceutical companies experienced a decreased in the production output, thus, pharmaceutical companies were not encouraged to manufacture and offer for sale generic medicines.
