A GROUP representing private hospitals warned that a proposal to impose price controls on more than 100 medicines would affect industry revenue.
Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PHAPi) President Rustico A. Jimenez said the plan would affect sales at their pharmacy units.
“Pharmacies are one of the income-generating programs of the hospital,” he said in an interview.
The Health department has submitted to the presidential palace its list of 122 drugs that will be covered by a price ceiling, Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go said at a Senate hearing last month.
The the price control measure is in keeping with the rules that will implement a law on cheaper medicines, especially those against the top 40 diseases in the country.
Mr. Jimenez said the quality of imported medicines could be at risk because of the price control.
The government would be better off implementing this on fewer medicines at a time, he added.
Last week, the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) said the ceiling would force small and medium pharmacies to close down or sell to larger pharmacies, which could lead to joblessness.
It noted that the industry lost P11 billion worth of sales when price controls were enforced in 2009. — Gillian M. Cortez
