The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-Philippines, the health products regulatory agency in the country, issued a circular proscribing the overpriced selling of medical supplies online.
The Circular No. 2020-005 signed by FDA Director-General Rolando Enrique Domingo and addressed to all stakeholders and parties prohibits online selling of essential emergency medical supplies beyond the price ceiling or range set by Memorandum No. 2020-0058 dated Jan. 31, 2020 and Memorandum No. 2020-0058-A dated Feb. 11, 2020, of the Department of Health (DOH).
The FDA circular is in line with its parent agency’s Price Freeze Advisory of essential emergency medicines and supplies in the entire country due to COVID-19.
The government strictly prohibits the online selling of any of the listed emergency medical supplies beyond the standard stated in the above-mentioned Department Memoranda.
“All FDA inspectors and regulatory Enforcement Unit agents are directed to conduct exhaustive monitoring of all online platforms to ensure full compliance of these issuances and to pursue and implement immediate regulatory and enforcement actions as warranted,” the Circular reads.
The circular takes effect immediately and will remain valid unless otherwise revoked, rescinded or repealed by the agency.
The price ceiling/range set by DOH for emergency medical devices, for Particulate respirator, Grade N95 mask, the lowest price is P45 while the highest is P105. For disposable mask (medical mask for health workers and patients), the lowest price is now P3 (previously P1.10), the highest is P12 (previously P8).
For 60 mL 70% solution Ethyl alcohol, the lowest price is P17.25, the highest is P25.50; the 250mL is P36.75 and P41.75 while the 500mL, the lowest price is P61 and the highest is P74.25.
While the lowest price for the 25 (previously 50) pairs/box (size 6.5, 7, 7.5, Sterile gloves is P295 while the highest price is P450.
For Nebulizer, the lowest price is P1,495 while the highest should be P3,960. The Neb kit adult is P87 and P120 while the Neb kit pedia is P63 and P142 respectively.
And the Oxygen cannula adult, the lowest price is P24, the highest price is P60. For Oxygen cannula pedia, the lowest price is P18.50, the highest is P53 while the Oxygen cannula neonatal, the lowest price is P24 and the highest is P50.
“Essential medicines have been identified as a basic necessity especially in time of natural calamities and an-made disasters that put the health and lives of Filipino at risk because of unfavorable conditions that cause or aggravate disease which may lead to epidemics and massive death,” the memorandum reads,” part of DOH’s Memorandum reads.
Section 6 of Republic Act No. 7581 or an “An Act Providing Protection to Consumers by Stabilizing the Prices of Basic Necessities and Prime Commodities” is the basis of the Department memoranda that were released almost consecutively in the first two months of this year.