Inquirer, Nov. 25, 2006

THE PHARMACEUTICAL AND Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), under fire for their continued resis­tance to the importation of cheaper medicines from abroad, responded yesterday with a statement reiterating in general terms the business group's support for "government ini­tiatives to reform the health sector, particularly steps to improve the accessibility of medicines and health services."

The PHAP is at loggerheads with the Philip­pine International Trading Corp. and the Boti­ca ng Bayan program of the government which wants to import cheaper medicines from India and Pakistan. Pharmaceutical gi­ant Pfizer recently sued the PITC for import­ing one of their medicine brands from unau­thorized sources.

The pharmaceutical association led by Ed­win Feist, president of Abbott Laboratories, had called for a press conference on Thursday to "break its long silence and debunk four myths hotly purveyed in the media."

The four myths were identified as: ''Myth 1: Many Filipinos are dying because of lack of ac­cess to medicines. Myth 2: Cheap drugs will make medicines more accessible to Filipinos and will ensure better health for all. Myth 3: Parallel importation will bring down the cost of medicines in the countty. Myth 4: Medicine prices in the Philippines are the highest in Asia.

The press conference, however, was can­celled at the last minute for unexplained rea­sons. A broad and conciliatory press state­ment was e-mailed instead to the INQUIRER.

In it's statement, the PHAP expressed "total support for the Arroyo administration's tougher measures against unabated piracy and the counterfeiting problem in the coun­try-especially of products affecting public health and safety, such as medicines."

It described itself as an "association of local and research-based drug companies commit­ted to making available quality medicines, medical devices, nutritionals and consumer healthcare products to help people live longer and healthier lives."

The statement mentioned that "Every year, through the PHAPCares Foundation, PHAP donates more than P100 million worth of es­sential medicines to help indigent patients in 72 government hospitals as well as disaster victims in calamity areas," it said.

Earlier, Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer refuted accusations that its suit against the govern­ment agency tasked with importing cheap medicines was compromising the health of Filipinos. The company said it was forced to take legal action against the PITC after it failed to receive reassurances that their patent rights would not be violated.

The dispute revolves around PITC's move to import amlodipine besylate-the active in­gredient in Pfizer's Norvasc-from what the company claims are "unauthorized sources" in India and Pakistan. Pfizer's patent on that drug does not expire until June 2007. With reports from Christian V. Esguerra