PHARMACEUTICAL firms are against limiting prices of 22 of their patented drug products as planned by the government under the maximum retail price (MRP) regimen, arguing this would violate their right to benefit from their patents.
Reiner Gloor, executive director of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), said the law clearly says the MRP is called for only when a drug is four or five times more expensive than its Asean counterpart, if there are less than four generic counterparts, if the innovator has the top-selling product, and if it’s not for a public health concern such as the A(H1N1) virus.