Docs disapprove generic name prescription
Several mass actions from the medical doctors and practitioners in the city and the province will start today.
This afternoon, a press conference is to take place at the Solarium of Silliman University Medical Center in order for the Negros Oriental Medical Center to express their stand on the Cheaper Medicine Bill or the House Bill 2844.
Earlier, the NOMS President disclosed that they approve the bill. However, there is one provision on the bill which they don’t agree. This provision is in Chapter 5, Section 33, Section 6B of the Cheaper Medicine Bill which mandates that all medical, dental and veterinary practitioners, including private practitioners, are only to prescribe generic names of medicines and will never prescribe or write the brand name in any area of the prescription.
The doctors strongly disagree with this provision. NOMS explained in their position paper that it is infringing their rights to prescribe the right medicine which they believe to be effective on their patients. According to the NOMS, doctors know the conditions of their patients better than pharmacists and sales clerk who are tasked to give the brand names of the medicines.
Some doctors asked that if ever there be something untoward that could happen to their patients which were given the brand name of the medicine by a pharmacist, then who is answerable for such incident?
NOMS stands that doctors should still prescribe their chosen brands of medicines for their patients for they know better than pharmacists and sales clerks. NOMS disclosed that it won’t matter if they prescribe the more expensive medicine as long as it is more effective and will not give side effects to their patients.
The doctors added that there was less monitoring from the Bureau of Food and Drugs in the entry of fake, expired, low quality and fly-by-bight medicines in our country. NOMS said that BFAD can monitor and prevent the entry of these faulty medicines and can therefore effectively implement the Cheaper Medicine Bill. In fact, the doctors asked the progress of the Philippine Pharmawealth case, owned by Congressman Ferjenel Biron of IloIlo and the author of the Cheaper Medicine Bill, which allegedly has manufactured low quality medicines.
Within this week, there will be rallies, signature campaigns and public awareness movements. This coming January 27, Sunday, the day before the reopening of the session at the congress, NOMS will conduct a motorcade simultaneous to the movement of the Philippine Medical Association in Manila. The public is invited to join the motorcade.
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Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:52 pm