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The 2019 Edition of the Drug Price Reference Index (DPRI) is a product of hard
work and dedication of the Department of Health (DOH) Pharmaceutical Division headed
by Dr. Anna Melissa S. Guerrero, team efforts of the System Support Unit supervised by
Ms. Vanessa J. Saulog – Obera, and led by Mr. Achilles V. Aragona together with the team
members namely: Mr. Christian M. Villostas, Mr. John Lester M. Custodio, Ms. Geny C.
Belmonte, Mr. Jaldrin Ivan M. Bunag, and Mr. Christian Joel M. Tambong.
The technical contributions of other staff are also acknowledged in particulars: Mr.
Aris M. Posadas for continuously enhancing the DPRI website and database and Mr. Adell
R. Azuelo for the processing of DPRI booklet printing.
Special thanks also to all NDP Compliance Officers and EDPMS Helpdesks who
aided in the implementation of the DPRI and to the DOH-Pharmaceutical Division family.
All DOH Retained / Specialty Hospitals and Centers for Health Development (CHDs) for
contributing their data to the Department of Health.
Lastly, we thank our Assistant Secretary for Health Regulation Charade B. Mercado-
Grande, Undersecretary for Health Regulation Rolando Enrique D. Domingo and Health
Secretary Francisco T. Duque III for their unwavering support and commitment in the
implementation of the program.
The high and extremely variable prices of medicines in the Philippines impact
on access to effective, efficient and equitable health care. In 2009, a study
conducted by Health Action International revealed that there was extreme
variability in the procurement prices of essential medicines across the national
and local public health facilities in the country. On average, originator brands
and generic equivalents were procured almost 16 times and 3 times higher,
respectively, compared to prices available on the international market.1
Republic Act (RA) 9502 or the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality
Medicines Act of 2008 gave the DOH instruments to monitor and regulate the
prices of drugs and medicines to protect consumers and the public procuring
entities from excessive mark-ups applied to prices of medicines resulting from
information asymmetry and the lack of effective market competition.
The DPRI lists the ceiling prices of essential medicines for government bidding
and procurement set by the DOH for all National and Local Government
Health Facilities and Government Agencies. Winning bid prices of essential
medicines within the DPRI ceiling reflect efficient and effective procurement in
the government. Their transparency and enforcement ensure consumer access
to medicines and protection from excessive price mark-ups on medicines.
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1 Douglas B, Tisocki K (2009) Public Procurement Prices of Medicines in the Philippines. Health Action International.
The data coming from reputable suppliers are only considered in the database which means that they should
be licensed by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and have certificate of Good
Manufacturing Practice issued by the FDA.
The DPRI only reflects the acquisition costs including landed cost, packaging,
drug content, quality assurance, manufacturing overheads and Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) fees. The DPRI excludes other costs such as pharmacy
services, preparation and storage fees, and other reasonable pharmacy mark-
ups, which are now being evaluated by the DOH.
The DPRI is computed based on the prevailing tender prices of the previous
year (2018) reflected in the actual Purchase Orders (POs) submitted by the
DOH Retained Hospitals, Centers for Health Development (CHDs), Central
Office Bids and Awards Committee
(COBAC) and Philippine Pharma Procurement Inc. (PPPI) to the DOH.
The reference price is set at the Median or the 50th percentile across the range
of prevailing tender prices of essential medicines for each preparation and
strength. However, for drugs and medicines with two entries, for patented drugs
and medicines and with limited competition the reference price was set to
lowest. Health facilities may add an allowable margin up to 10% to account for
the inflation.
The DPRI is updated annually. All DOH hospitals and CHDs submit a copy of
their latest Purchase Orders to the DOH Pharmaceutical Division for annual
collection and analysis of price data. The updated DPRI is based on the
procurement price data of medicines from the previous year.
In case where the latest DPRI published has no reference price available for
certain essential medicines, government health facilities and agencies may do
any of the following options in compliance with the Implementing Rules and
Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184 or the Government Procurement
Act:
o The facility may utilize the previous year’s awarded price as an
approved budget for the contract (ABC).
o The procuring entity may conduct a market survey and use the
cheapest price in the market.
In case of failed biddings, provision of RA 9184 and its IRR shall be applied.
All procuring entities are advised to submit the list of medicines that resulted in
bid failure to the DOH-PD. The report should comply the template provided
by DOH-PD which can be downloaded at their website at
www.dpri.doh.gov.ph.
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
The Reference Price was based on the Maximum Wholesale Price (MWP) plus Value-Added-Tax (VAT) (excluded from
the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
● The Reference Price was based on the proposed list price of the pharmaceutical company upon its inclusion in the
Philippine National Formulary (excluded from the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
The Reference Price was based on the Maximum Wholesale Price (MWP) plus Value-Added-Tax (VAT) (excluded from
the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
The Reference Price was based on the Maximum Wholesale Price (MWP) plus Value-Added-Tax (VAT) (excluded from
the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
The Reference Price was based on the Maximum Wholesale Price (MWP) plus Value-Added-Tax (VAT) (excluded from
the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
● The Reference Price was based on the proposed list price of the pharmaceutical company upon its inclusion in the
Philippine National Formulary (excluded from the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
The Reference Price was based on the Maximum Wholesale Price (MWP) plus Value-Added-Tax (VAT) (excluded from
the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
The Reference Price was based on the Maximum Wholesale Price (MWP) plus Value-Added-Tax (VAT) (excluded from
the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
● The Reference Price was based on the proposed list price of the pharmaceutical company upon its inclusion in the
Philippine National Formulary (excluded from the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
The Reference Price was based on the Maximum Wholesale Price (MWP) plus Value-Added-Tax (VAT) (excluded from
the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
● The Reference Price was based on the proposed list price of the pharmaceutical company upon its inclusion in the
Philippine National Formulary (excluded from the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
The Reference Price was based on the Maximum Wholesale Price (MWP) plus Value-Added-Tax (VAT) (excluded from
the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
● The Reference Price was based on the proposed list price of the pharmaceutical company upon its inclusion in the
Philippine National Formulary (excluded from the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
The Reference Price was based on the Maximum Wholesale Price (MWP) plus Value-Added-Tax (VAT) (excluded from
the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
The Reference Price was based on the Maximum Wholesale Price (MWP) plus Value-Added-Tax (VAT) (excluded from
the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
● The Reference Price was based on the proposed list price of the pharmaceutical company upon its inclusion in the
Philippine National Formulary (excluded from the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
The Reference Price was based on the Maximum Wholesale Price (MWP) plus Value-Added-Tax (VAT) (excluded from
the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
● The Reference Price was based on the proposed list price of the pharmaceutical company upon its inclusion in the
Philippine National Formulary (excluded from the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
The Reference Price was based on the Maximum Wholesale Price (MWP) plus Value-Added-Tax (VAT) (excluded from
the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
● The Reference Price was based on the proposed list price of the pharmaceutical company upon its inclusion in the
Philippine National Formulary (excluded from the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
The Reference Price was based on the Maximum Wholesale Price (MWP) plus Value-Added-Tax (VAT) (excluded from
the maximum 10% inflationary cost)
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation
Health facilities may have a price variation up to 10% above the DPRI to account for inflation