Friday, September 18, 2009

Cheaper Medicines and Drugs in Philippine Towns

Cheaper medicines are now also available in small town pharmacies across the country. 

This as the total implementation of the mandatory price cut of some medicines takes effect since September 15, or last Tuesday.
 
The mandatory price cut, now implemented in small drugstores in towns takes effect a month after the law ordered pharmacies with automated ordering systems to implement since August 15. 

Brought down by the government's implementation of the Cheaper Medicines Act and the voluntary offer by pharmaceutical companies, the move also makes easy public access to seven categorized drugs

Some of the categorized drugs are anti-hypertensives, anti-cholesterol, anti-thrombotic, anti-diabetics, anti-biotics and anti-cancer drugs. 

On this, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has directed the Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to monitor the implementation of the law. 

Bohol Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Health Chair Cesar Tomas Lopez has called everyone in communities to help monitor the implementation of the law in as much as it should help alleviate the concerns of people taking maintenance drugs

Lopez, who is a physician by profession said any drugstore who does not properly implement the law should be reported right away.

Included in the price cut are anti-hypertensives Telmisartan's Micardis, Aprovel, Norvasc, Lipitor and Zithromax, Cytosar-U and Adriblastina.  

Also in are anti-thrombotics like Plavix and anti-diabetic Diamicron. 

Antibiotic Tacozin's Piperazillin, Ciprobay, Flagyl, Augmentin's are sold at half the price in pharmacies. 

The rest of the medicines with shaved prices are anti-cancer drugs Blenoxane, Paraplatin, Platinol, Cytoxan, Vepesid, Pirunethol and Zexate. (PIA)

September 21 Philippine Non-working Holiday

The Office of Muslim Affairs has determined September 21 as the start of the Muslim Ramadhan. 

Over this, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared the day a regular holiday, to commemorate the Eid'l Fit'r. 

By virtue of Proclamation 1880, the president has propped up Republic Act 9177, which declared the regular observance of the Eid'l Fit'r as a regular holiday all throughout the country. 

The government's Office of Muslim Affairs (OMA) has earlier determined the feast of the Ramadhan in accordance with the Islamic lunar calendar. 

The Muslim commemoration of the feast starts September 21, OMA said. 

According to the President, declaring the day also promotes cultural understanding and integration of the entire Filipino nation because it affords Christians the chance to join Muslim brothers in the observance of the feast. 

Moreover, in the proclamation, she said the declaration brings the religious and cultural significance of the Eid'l Fit'r to the fore of national consciousness. 

The proclamation has also lengthened to one more day the weekend, allowing domestic tourists enough time to experience the country's potentials. (PIA)