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Rep. Helen Tan steps up fight vs. counterfeit drugs

by Sentinel Times Research Staff September 22, 2021 Rep. Angelina "Helen" Tan (Photo from  WHO/F. Tanggol) LUCENA CITY - More than...

by Sentinel Times Research Staff
September 22, 2021


Rep. Helen Tan steps up fight vs. counterfeit drugs
Rep. Angelina "Helen" Tan (Photo from WHO/F. Tanggol)




LUCENA CITY - More than 20 years have passed since the enactment of Republic Act No. 8203 or the Special Law on Counterfeit Drugs in 1996-- but counterfeit drugs continue to flood the market that threaten health safety and lives of Filipinos, the vital reason why Rep. Angelina "Helen" Tan has taken a steady war footing against fake drugs.

Health authorities has repeatedly warned the public that fake pharmaceutical products are a serious threat to public health and safety. Their effectivity is unverified and questionable, may worsen illness and disease, may cause serious adverse health consequences, another disease, drug resistance, or worst, death.



Fake pharmaceutical products: (1) contain the wrong ingredient; (2)have no active ingredient; orhave the correct/active ingredients but in insufficient amount. Often, counterfeit pharmaceutical products are usually deliberately and fraudulently mislabelled-- and some may be expired and hazardous to use.

A physician by profession, Rep. Tan stressed that “more than 20 years since RA 8203, otherwise known as the “Special Law on Counterfeit Drugs”, was enacted, there have been many changes in the industry and in anti-counterfeiting technologies, but the continuing real threat that counterfeit pharmaceutical products present to health, to the security of our children, our family and, in general, to the prosperity of our community cannot be overemphasized. It cannot be denied that we are faced by a rapidly growing flood of illegal and dangerous pharmaceutical products.”



She has crafted House Bill (HB) 9160, which seeks to strengthen the traditional and complementary medicine system by amending Republic Act (RA) No. 8423 or the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act of 1997” and HB 4779, which seek to strengthen the regulatory system in the country to combat counterfeit pharmaceutical products.

Both measures have been given the go-ahead by the House of Representatives health committee which she heads.



“These proposals form an integral part of the on-going national efforts to build a more resilient health system, especially in the face of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease-19) pandemic, which has brought about unique health challenges the world over and for many Filipinos, it means soaring costs of hospitalization, medication, and healthcare amid shrinking budget and stagnant or even lost income,” she explained.

“This pandemic has shown us just how indispensable the provision of safe and effective traditional medicine is a critical tool for increasing overall access to health care and combatting the COVID-19 pandemic – and that is something we must never take for granted,” Tan pointed out.

Resiliency amidst pandemic

The Tan-drawn HB 9160 bolsters the TAMA Law of 1997 by "increasing safeguards that will adequately ensure safety, standardization, efficacy, quality, availability and preservation of services that are made available to the public."

HB 9169 is "primarily designed to meet head-on the challenges besetting the Traditional and Alternative Health Care Industry and to attain its ultimate goal of providing the people with a wider range of quality, safe, effective and cost-efficient health services. Once enacted, it will enable the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) to have exclusive authority as well as to unify all the regulations concerning traditional and complementary medicine that will facilitate the establishment of a one-stop-shop for the provision of licenses, certificates and the likes for the practitioners and operators."

Her anti-fake pharmaceuticals measure HB No. 4779, provides a shot in the arm to the regulatory system in the country to thwart counterfeit pharmaceutical products by declaring the manufacture, importation, distribution, sale or offer for sale, or possession of counterfeit pharmaceutical products as an offense involving economic sabotage and providing stricter penalties for violations of this Act.

On the other hand, RA 8203 or the Special Law on Counterfeit Drugs which Tan seeks to amend, "defines counterfeit medicines, declares prohibited acts, identifies liable parties, and imposes administrative sanctions and penalties involved."

Implementation of R.A. 8203 has been affected by several counterfeit drug-related cases in which Supreme Court ruling favored the accused.

In one case, the High Court ruled that “Republic Act No. 9502 or the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008 nullifies the reason or purpose of R.A. 8203 so the latter loses all meaning and function”.

Several laws passed by Congress also significantly affected the provisions of RA 8203. The 2008 Cheap Medicines Act, RA 9711 (FDA Act of 2009) and RA 10918 or the Philippine Pharmacy Law-- all have inconsistent definition of “drugs”.

Caveat emptor-- or let the buyer beware-- is best heeded, especially for pharmaceutical products advertised and sold online.

The public has to be wary of pharmaceutical products peddled by establishments or online stores operating without the necessary government permits. Health authorities urge the public to purchase medicines, supplements and other health products only from government licensed pharmacies and make sure that they have the appropriate Food and Drug Administration marketing authorizations.

Troll factor surfaces

Aside from fake pharmaceuticals, it is apparent that trolls using social media to peddle fake news have surfaced in Quezon in a blatant bid to sabotage ongoing efforts of Dr. Tan to serve her constituents.

In a more recent reach-out undertaking that had Tan's aides carry out anti-influenza mass vaccinations, more people than the pre-registered number turned up for the anti-flu jab. Nevertheless, the walk-ins were accommodated and vaccinated. No jitters, just fast procurement of needed vaccine doses were done in smooth efficiency.

Too, she announced that her pet measure, HB 7952 "An Act Establishing Multi Specialty Hospital in the City of Tayabas to be known as Southern Luzon Multi Specialty Medical Center and Appropriating Funds therefor" had been heard in the Senate, paving the way for its passage, inevitable enactment and establishment.

"Para sa mga Quezonian, pangarap ito para sa inyo! Pati sa mga karatig na probinsya katulad ng Marinduque, Laguna, Batangas, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur o kabuuan ng Region 5," she enthused.

With this development, the attempt to peddle fake news was overwhelmed by good news.

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