In a significant development aimed at combating tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the Philippines, five local drug manufacturers have committed to producing anti-TB medicines.
This move comes in response to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call for increased local production of drugs to address these critical health concerns. The announcement was made by the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Health Sector Group during their 5th meeting with President Marcos at Malacañang.
Paolo Borromeo, the PSAC Healthcare Sector Lead and President and CEO of Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc., expressed pride in the collaborative effort with the Department of Health (DOH) to focus on TB and HIV, noting an uptick in cases of both diseases.
Borromeo revealed that the five manufacturers had also joined national procurement bids conducted by the DOH, with a bid already having taken place last November and results currently awaited.
Historically, local manufacturers have been hesitant to bid for the production of anti-TB medicines. However, following the President’s directive and subsequent reforms, there has been a notable shift, with five manufacturers now ready to produce these critical medicines and participate in the DOH’s procurement processes.
The initiative is part of the administration’s priority to address TB and HIV, with similar efforts planned for HIV medicines. Borromeo also highlighted the support from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) through the establishment of a green lane program specifically for anti-TB and HIV medicines, aimed at expediting the process.
The PSAC Health Sector Group noted that while 24 manufacturers expressed readiness to produce anti-TB drugs, only one has shown interest in manufacturing HIV medicines.
In addition to facilitating the production of these drugs, PSAC has pledged to assist local manufacturers and ensure the effective implementation of the green lane program and the domestic bidder preference policy.
This initiative aligns with President Marcos’s directive for the DOH and FDA to collaborate with the private sector in identifying medicines that can be locally produced, thereby reducing costs and ensuring a steady supply of essential drugs to fight TB and HIV in the Philippines. – PhilippinesToday.ph