Around 24 drug manufacturers have expressed readiness to produce anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs, while one pharmaceutical firm has expressed willingness to manufacture human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) medicines.
This was reported to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. by the Private Sector Advisory Council’s (PSAC) Health Sector Group (HSG) in a meeting at Malacañan Palace in Manila on Thursday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a statement.
Garafil said the PSAC-HSG led by Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc. president and chief executive officer Paolo Borromeo expressed elation over the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) support for a green lane program for the anti-TB and HIV medicines.
“PSAC made a commitment to assist local drug manufacturers that will produce first-line anti-TB/HIV drugs in the country, as well as help facilitate the continued implementation of the green lane program. It will also ensure the consistent implementation of domestic bidder preference,” she said.
During the meeting, PSAC reported that five local drug manufacturers have signed up to participate in the production of anti-TB medicines, in response to Marcos’ call for the local manufacture of drugs to combat the dreaded diseases.
Borromeo noted that historically, many local manufacturers do not bid in the production of anti-TB medicines.
However, the reforms made under the Marcos administration have encouraged the five local manufacturers to join the procurement bids of the Department of Health (DOH), Borromeo said.
“We are very proud of the collaboration with DOH, [with a] focus on TB and HIV, which are two of our more dreaded diseases and increasing in terms of numbers of cases,” he told Marcos, as quoted by the PCO.
“In fact, I believe there was a bid last November and we are waiting for the results,” he added.
Borromeo said similar initiatives will be done for the production of HIV drugs.
Marcos earlier directed the DOH and the FDA to work with the private sector in identifying medicines that can be produced locally to bring down the cost and ensure steady supply. (PNA)
