Universally Accessible

Cheaper and Quality Medicines

Act of 2008
"Mabagal at malabnaw ang pagkilos ng gobyerno
kaya kinukulit natin ito.’”
-Senator Mar Roxas
RA 9052 allows the conduct of
parallel importation of
patented medicine from other
countries where the prices are
significantly lower than the
prevailing price in the
Philippines.
 Republic Act No. 9502-June 6, 2008

(Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-third day of

July, 2007)

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR CHEAPER AND

QUALITY MEDICINES, AMENDING FOR
THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8293
OR THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CODE,
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6675 OR THE
GENERICS ACT OF 1988, AND REPUBLIC
ACT NO. 5921 OR THE PHARMACY LAW,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
 Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines
Act of 2008

CHAPTER I-GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as

the "Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality
Medicines Act of 2008".
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of
the State to protect public health and, when the
public interest or circumstances of extreme
urgency so require, it shall adopt appropriate
measures to promote and ensure access to
affordable quality drugs and medicines for all.
Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines
Act of 2008

CHAPTER 2-AMENDMENTS TO
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8293, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CODE OF
THE PHILIPPINES
Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines
Act of 2008

CHAPTER 3-DRUGS AND MEDICINES

PRICE REGULATION
Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines
Act of 2008

CHAPTER 4-STRENGTHENING OF THE

BUREAU OF FOOD AND DRUGS
Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines
Act of 2008

CHAPTER 5-NON-DISCRIMINATORY
CLAUSE
Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines
Act of 2008

CHAPTER 6-AMENDMENTS TO
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6675, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS
THE GENERICS ACT OF 1988
Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines
Act of 2008

CHAPTER 7-AMENDMENTS TO
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 5921, AS
AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
THE PHARMACY LAW
Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines
Act of 2008

CHAPTER 8-MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
 DOH OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON
CHEAPER MEDICINE BILL
• Recent SWS survey said that Filipinos buying generic
drugs increased from 47% in 2003 to 54% in 2006.
• 45% of Filipinos now say that medicine prices have gone
cheaper compared to the 7% who said the same in
2001.
• 6 out of 10 Filipinos in the D and E classes have bought
or access to generic drugs.
• In short, more Filipinos are now better informed and are
exercising their right to choose the medicines that
worked for them and which they can afford. More
Filipinos now perceived that generic drugs are just as
safe and effective and are perfect substitute for branded
ones.
 Sec. Roberto Pagdanganan
PITC Chairman & President
  
• Recognizing the right of every Filipino to have access to
quality and affordable healthcare, Pres. GMA has
directed the implementation of pro-poor programs
focusing on, among others, the reduction of prices of
medicines by half by the year 2010.
• Embodied in the Medium Term Philippine Development
Plan (MTPDP), the low cost medicines program is a vital
pillar In the promotion of our citizenry’s welfare and
nation building.
    
The Philippine International Trading
Corporation (PITC)
• a lead government institution in implementing
programs supporting the President’s pro-poor
agenda - has been given a key responsibility In
the overall effort to expand the marketing and
distribution network for high quality, low cost
medicines.
• This initiative, known as the Botika ng Bayan
program, will be undertaken In close partnership
with the vanguards of our nation’s health sector,
the Department of Health (DOH) and the
Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD).
The Philippine International Trading
Corporation (PITC)
• The program seeks to establish a nationwide
network of accredited retail drugstores, each
outlet distributing a full range of branded and
generic, over-the-counter and prescription
medicines, and home remedies.
• It is intended to address an expressed need to
make these quality pharmaceutical products
available, accessible, and above all, affordable
to all.
• The Philippines ranked second to Japan as
having the highest medicine prices in Asia.
• Filipinos spent for medicines the equivalent of $1
billion a year, from 1997 to 2001, the highest in
Asean, notwithstanding that half of the
Philippines’ 80 million population have no
access to essential medicines.
• The cost of medicines here is 40 percent to 70
percent higher than in other Asean countries.
• For Filipinos who have access to medicines,
their budget for total health-related expenses
(not just medicines) is a measly P2,000 per
person per year.
 EFFECTS OF CHEAPER
MEDICINE LAW

• It’s good to note that many managers of

multinational pharmaceutical companies are
willing to cooperate with the government to
make implementation of this law successful.
• some companies have cut the prices of their
medicines by as much as half through discount
coupons and patient membership cards. They
also offer free laboratory examinations needed
to diagnose or monitor the patient’s progress.
 EFFECTS OF CHEAPER
MEDICINE LAW
• The government has tried to provide the
people with cheaper medicines by
importing them, through the Philippine
International Trading Corp. (PITC).
• The efforts of the PITC, however, are
weak and doesn’t even make a dent on
local drug prices. In a P100-billion market,
the PITC’s yearly import budget is only
P300 million. What’s more, it has few
outlets for its drugs.
 EFFECTS OF CHEAPER
MEDICINE LAW
• The two biggest drugstore chains in the country,
Mercury Drug and Watson’s, refuse to sell
medicines imported by the PITC.
• Law on patents and the Intellectual Property
Code allow pharmaceutical companies exclusive
rights to manufacture and sell products they
have developed. The multinationals have taken
advantage of these laws by pricing their
medicines for as much as the market can bear.
CONCLUSION: