Roxas vows passage of cheaper drugs bill - Malaya 06.10.2006

SEN. Mar Roxas yesterday vowed to "shepherd until its approval" Senate Bill 2263 which seeks to amend the Intellectual Property Code (RA 8293) in order to relax regulations covering the import of cheaper drugs and patent development.

Sixteen senators had already approved the committee report endorsing the passage of the bill into law but the measure failed to hurdle second and third reading on Thursday as both houses adjourned sine die.

"The completion of the report and its quick signing by the members of the two committees demonstrate that there is in the Senate a favorable consensus on meeting the health care needs of ordinary Filipinos," Roxas said. "Once (this bill) becomes a law, (it) will promote greater access to quality lower priced medicines for all Filipinos. De-kalidad and abot-kayang gamot are definitely within the reach of the masses."

Four major provisions of the Roxas bill that will touch on the IPC are: an addition to non-patentable inventions, particularly to "new uses" of drugs whose patents have expired; parallel importation to allow the country to "shop all over the world" for a patented drug for a good price; early working, which will allow BFAD approval of generic versions of a drug before its patent expires; and more efficient and effective use of patented drugs by government.

Roxas, chair of the trade and commerce committee, said plenary deliberations on the measure will be sure to start on July 24. – Dennis Gadil