Urging pharmacists to back lowering prices of drugs

Today I sent a feedback addressed to the editor of Sunstar Manila (1) that reads:


Dear editor,

This is a reaction to the article "Pharmacists urged to back lowering prices of drugs" wherein it was stated that Senator Mar Roxas "called on the Pharmaceutical [and] HealthCare Association of the Philippines (Phap) to join hands with the Department of Health (DOH) in expanding public access to quality medicines at more affordable prices rather than block the passage of legislation to lower the cost of medicines."

I just would like to say that the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines is NOT an association of pharmacists but "a business association representing the providers of most of the country's medicines" whose "members include the country's leading research-based companies of pharmaceuticals and medical services." It claims to have a membership of at least "64 Filipino and international companies." (2)

Although the association says that it is a "non-profit, non-stock organization", (2) it is pretty obvious that it has to protect the business interests of its members.

It is true that the "cost of medicines in the country is too high" and I believe that as a pharmacist, I should support every move of the government to lower its prices for the benefit of the majority of our countrymen.

Senator Mar Roxas might as well call on the Philippine Pharmaceutical Association (PPhA), the Philippine Society of Hospital Pharmacists (PSHP), the Community Pharmacists Association of the Philippines (CPAP) as well as the Drugstores Association of the Philippines (DSAP) regarding this matter.
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References:
1. http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/man/2007/02/26/bus/pharmacists.urged.to.back.lowering.prices.of.drugs.html

2. http://www.phap.org.ph/home.aspx