Manila, Philippines — As a response to the possible impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on the pharmaceutical supply chain and medicine prices.
The Department of Health (DOH) has ordered weekly price monitoring of selected medicines nationwide.
This covers drugstores, DOH hospitals, as well as public and private hospitals across all Centers for Health Development (CHD) in the country.
According to the DOH memorandum, the agency will deploy Public Health Pharmacists (PHPs) under the National Health Workforce Support System (NHWSS) and Regional Drug Price Monitoring Officers (RDPMOs).
They will closely monitor medicine prices and supply through on-site inspections in facilities and telephone inquiries.
16 medicines are included in the initial list for monitoring, including Amoxicillin, Aspirin, Atorvastatin, BCG vaccine, Beractant, and Carboplatin, among others.
These medicines have been identified as essential public health needs, but the list may still be expanded depending on available data, local market conditions, price fluctuations, and possible supply shortages.