GMA on generics only provision of the Cheaper Medicine Bill

Arroyo orders generics proviso in cheaper medicines bill removed
ABS-CBN News Online
April 11, 2008

In a bid to break the impasse on the cheaper medicines bill, President Arroyo on Friday instructed the Department of Health to take out the controversial "generics only" provision in the measure.

The Senate and the House of Representatives are still deadlocked over the controversial measure that requires doctors to prescribe only the generic names of drugs and forbids them to even write their preferred brands.

read more

Arroyo scraps 'generics' provision

BY REGINA BENGCO
Malaya Online
April 12, 2008

PRESIDENT Arroyo wants the "generics only" provision withdrawn in the proposed Cheaper Medicines Bill so it can be approved before the 14th Congress adjourns in June.

Arroyo announced her order to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III during the inauguration of the 11,000th Botika ng Barangay under the President's Half-Priced Medicines Program and the Department of Agriculture's Barangay Bagsakan at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.

She said it was the DOH which proposed the "generics only" provision last year, which is now causing the delay of the bill's passage, because it was the "ideal" bill.