News

Tulfo, Herbosa argue

over branded
medicines in
hospitals
Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News
Published Apr 02, 2024 04:49 PM PHT

MANILA -- Senator Raffy Tulfo and Health

Secretary Ted Herbosa engaged in a verbal tussle
Tuesday, with the issue stemming from questions
about expensive medicines that patients take while
under confinement, without their prior approval.

During Tuesday’s Senate Committee on Health and

Demography, Tulfo asked Herbosa why hospital
patients are given expensive medicines without
first informing them about the price.

“Hindi po nabibigyan ng option ang mga pasyente

kung ano ang ibibigay sa kanila yun na lang po
talaga ang tatanggapin nila. At bakit po branded.
Dapat po sa mga public hospitals habang maaari
dapat yung mga gamot na kine-carry po ay generic.
Do you agree with me, doc? Kasi most of the
patients in these public hospitals are poor,” Tulfo
asked.

(Patients are not given the option to choose the

medicine that they will take. Why branded? Public
hospitals should carry generic medicines because
their patients are poor.)

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Herbosa explained that while public hospitals

procure medicines through public bidding, there are
times that pharmaceutical companies producing
branded medicines won the process.

He said there are cases when government hospitals

give branded medicines to patients because the
generic brands can’t cure the patient.

“Ang only reason I can give as a doctor, cause there

are cases nung nagpa-practice po ako, may cases
na generic ang binili ng hospital pero hindi siya
clinically effective... nire-report namin yon sa
procurement service and that’s the reason why
some hospitals will carry the probably the branded
because the efficacy clinically is different at may
ganong mga observations,” Herbosa explained.

(As a doctor, there are cases where generic

medicines are not clinically effective. We reported
that to the procurement service and that’s the
reason why some hospitals carry branded
medicines because the efficacy clinically is
different, and there are those observations.)

“Kung patient po yan usually may tawag sila na

hiyang sa kanila. Like if you’re taking certain
medications, magpapalit ka ng mas mura generic
pero makikita sa monitoring hindi bumababa ang
sugar mo, hindi bumababa ang blood pressure mo,
so yung doktor mismo ibabalik ka don sa gamot na
inumpisahan niya,” he added.

(If you are taking certain medications and you’re

sugar, or blood measure are not stabilizing with the
cheaper generic medicine. So, your doctor will
revert to the old medicine that you are taking.)

Herbosa’s explanation, however was rejected by

Tulfo, who claimed that some doctors prescribe
branded medicines in exchange for perks from
pharmaceutical companies.

Tulfo also claimed that there are doctors who do

not prescribe generic medicines at all.

“I'll tell you why bakit pine-prefer yung mga

branded sa mga ospital, sa mga pharmacy bakit
nireseta. Kasi nga po may tinatawag na junket.
Alam nyo po yon. Yung mga doktor ginu-good time
ng mga pharmaceutical companies mga seminar, sa
abroad, schooling, free airfare, business class,
hotel accommodation, food, entertainment... and
we're talking by the millions of pesos, or even
dollars. Now syempre itong mga pharmaceutical
companies, hindi ito manlilibre, manggu-good time
ng mga doctor nang walang kapalit,” Tulfo alleged.

(I’ll tell you why they prefer branded medicines in

hospitals, in the pharmacy. Because of the junket.
Pharmaceutical companies treat doctors in
seminars, abroad, schooling, free airfare, business
class, hotel accommodation, food, entertainment.
And we’re talking by millions of pesos and even
dollars. And these pharmaceutical companies will
not treat these doctors without nothing in return.)

Herbosa, in defense, referred Tulfo to the “Mexico

Protocol” which prohibits medical practitioners from
accepting gifts from members of the
pharmaceutical industry.

The protocol, which the Philippines is among the

signatories, charges pharmaceutical companies
that are found giving favors to doctors, the Health
Secretary said.

“Doc, hindi ko na matiis po. Were you born

yesterday?” Tulfo aksed.

“Hindi po! Alam ko yan. Nangyayari yung junket

nung araw, pero sinasabi ko po,” Herbosa said.

(No! I’m saying that that junket was happening

years ago.)

“This practice violates the code of ethics of the

medical profession for doctors because number
one, it affects the autonomy in giving the best and
most affordable healthcare to the patients. Number
two, in a way exploits patients for the doctor's
personal gain. Number three, it does not improve
access to equitable healthcare,” Tulfo said.

“May mga doktor na gumagawa niyan pero may

mga doktor na wala. Hindi nilalagay yung generic
name because busog-busog sila doon sa
pharmaceutical companies na nag-good time sa
kanila. Pasintabi sa mga doktor na natatamaan. And
you know that’s reality, doc, and don’t tell me na
na-stop na yan, because if you tell me na na-stop
na yan next week, sa next hearing babalik ako
mapapahiya po kayo, Secretary,” the senator
added.

(There are doctors who do not put the generic

name because pharmaceutical companies are
giving them a good time. And that doesn’t stop. But
if you will tell me that that’s no longer happening, I’ll
show the proof to you the next hearing and you will
be embarrassed.)

“Mr. Chair, we welcome if there are charges against

doctors or cases against them should be filed with
the Professional Regulations Commission,” Herbosa
said.

“Let me finish first please. Ang question ko po sa

inyo Mr. Secretary, do you still stand by your word
na wala nang junket, yes or no?” Tulfo asked.

“Hindi ko po sinabing wala nang junket ang sinabi

ko po meron tayong Mexico Protocol at code of
ethics at kung may kaso na doktor at
pharmaceutical na nagba-violate nito, pwede pong
mag file ng kaso yan po ang sinabi ko,” Herbosa
said.

(I’m not saying that there is no more junket, what

I’m saying is we have a Mexico protocol.)

“Then it's your job diyan sa DOH para to find out

bakit nangyayari pa rin ito. At kung nangygyari ito,
sampa kayo ng kaso meron bang nasampahan ng
kaso? Wala,” the senator said.

“Yes, Mr. Chair this is practice of medicine, the

regulation of the Department of Health by law is
their facilities. The practice of medicine is under
the Professional Regulation Commission,” Herbosa
said.

Tulfo then pressed Herbosa to file appropriate

charges against erring doctors.

Herbosa also vowed to investigate doctors

allegedly being used by pharmaceutical companies.

Read More: Raffy Tulfo | Ted Herbosa |

Senate | DOH | Department Of Health

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