By Maricel V. Cruz, Reporter
September 21, 2007

Government should spend its P1-billion mass communication budget and use its network of television and radio stations to spread information about the benefits of generic drugs.

Members of the House Committee on Trade and Industry headed by Kampi Rep. Antonio Alvarez of Palawan broached the idea during the panel deliberations on the proposed cheaper medicines bill.

Earlier, officials of the Department of Health complained before them that “generic drugs are harm¬ed by negative propaganda.”

Alvarez said government can give a boost to the drive to popularize the use of generic drugs by using its P930 million “mass communication” proposed budget for 2008 for “programs and plugs” that will extol the benefits of generic drugs

During the hearing, the Philippine International Trading Corp. lamented before the committee the move of some sectors to vilify drugs sourced abroad.

PITC has been given a P1-billion budget to buy drugs from “reputable firms” here and abroad. It confirmed that “negative propaganda linking parallel imports with the proliferation of counterfeit drugs continues.”

Alvarez, committee chairman, stressed the passage of cheaper medicines law should be accompanied by a program that educates the people on the benefits of generic drugs.

“We can legislate a system that will make cheaper medicines available, but we can’t legislate the patronage of these by our people,” Alvarez noted.

According to him, “there are still misconceptions that when a drug doesn’t have a brand or an attractive label, then it is not that effective.”

In a position paper, the DOH indicated sales of generic drugs are small, compared to branded medicines. The latter posted sales of P63.2 billion in 2002, while only P2.4-billion worth of generics were bought in the same year.

“This is not to say that Filipinos do not want generic drugs because a SWS survey has shown that six in 10 Filipinos said they have bought generic drugs. What must be done is to positively reinforce the qualities of generics as reliable and affordable,” Alvarez argued.

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