Gov’t doctors required to use generic names for prescribed medicines - 1

Good morning to all of you! I heard this news is the radio while I’m eating my breakfast. After hearing this new, I also read this in the newspaper so that’s why I decided to share it with you. This will help a lot

All government doctors and health workers in government facilities are now required to write only generic names of prescribed medicines, following the mandate of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9502 or the Universally Accessible and Affordable Quality Medicines Act of 2008 signed by health officials recently.

The law, also known as the Cheaper Medicines Act, strictly states the use of generics by doctors even in private health facilities. However, doctors working in private clinics and hospitals have the option of writing the commercial brands of medicines in their prescriptions. In a conference announcing the signing of the IRR in Quezon City yesterday, Department of Health (DoH) Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said this will pave the way for the reduction of the cost of medicines in the country.

He said the IRR seeks to improve competition, improve the availability of medicines, and contain the cost of drugs in the country. He said the IRR will also improve the "health professional’s behavior in responding to the needs of indigents and other vulnerable sectors of society" through the use of generic terminology in all transactions. One salient feature of the IRR is the targeted reduction of the cost of medicines at not less than half the drug prices in 2001. "Ang benchmark natin ay 2001 prices, so any downward movement of prices of medicines must be in reference to the 2001 benchmark," Duque said.