List of Drugs Under MDRP in New PGMA EO

MANILA, July 28 -- President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo has signed the Executive Order imposing the Maximum Drug Retail Price (MDRP) on five drugs not compliant with the recommendation of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

The President signed yesterday (July 27) Executive Order No. 821, "Prescribing the Maximum Drug Retail Prices for Selected Drugs and Medicines that Address Diseases that Account for the Leading Causes of Morbidity and Mortality."

Earlier, the DOH submitted to the President the draft executive order to implement the intent and spirit of the Cheap Medicines Act after the Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) voluntarily reduced by 50 percent the prices of 16 essential drugs and medications to treat hypertension, diabetes, common infections, and leukemia.

However, five other drugs which did not voluntarily comply with the 50 percent price cut were recommended for the imposition of the MDRP.

The list of the five medicines and their corresponding MDRP were:

ANTI-HYPERTENSIVE

Amlodipin 2.5 mg (P9.60); 5mg (P22.85); and 10mg (P38.50).

ANTI-CHOLESTEROL

Atorvastatin 10mg film-coated tablet (P34.45); 20mg film-coated (P39.13); 40mg film-coated (P50.50); 80mg film-coated (P50.63);

Amlodipine besilate 5mg + Atorvastatin calcium 10mg tablet (P45.75);

Amlodipine besilate 5mg + Atorvastatin calcium 20mg tablet (P66.25);

Amlodipine besilate 5mg + Atorvastatin calcium 40mg tablet (P84.42);

Amlodipine besilate 5mg + Atorvastatin calcium 80mg tablet (P89.99);

Amlodipine besilate 10mg + Atorvastatin calcium 10mg tablet (P51.13);

Amlodipine besilate 10mg + Atorvastatin calcium 20mg tablet (P73.25);

Amlodipine besilate 10mg + Atorvastatin calcium 40mg tablet (P91.79);

Amlodipine besilate 10mg + Atorvastatin calcium 80mg tablet (P91.79);

ANTIBIOTIC/ANTIBACTERIAL

Azithromycin and all its salt form;

250mg tablet (P108.50);

200mg/5ml powder for suspension (15ml), P427.50;

200mg/5ml powder for suspension (22.5ml), P638;

500mg tablet, P151.43;

500mg vial for injection, P992.50; and

2-gram granules, P468.

ANTI-NEOPLASTICS/ANTI-CANCER

Cytarabine:

100mg/ml ampul/vial (IV/SC), P240;

100mg/ml ampul/vial (IV/SC) (5ml) or 500mg vial, P900;

100mg/ml ampul/vial (IV/SC) (10ml) or 1-gram vial, P1,800; and

20mg/ml (5ml) ampul/vial for injection, P1,980.

Doxorubicin and all its salt form:

10mg powder vial for injection, P1,465.75; and

50mg powder vial for injection, P2,265.74.

The ruling on the new rates will take effect on August 15. (PNA)