Healthcare advocate AnaKalusugan party-list on Friday urged the Department of Trade and Industry and the Food and Drug Administration to crack the whip against hoarders of paracetamol and anti-flu medicines amid their unusual artificial shortage after the holidays.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is nothing more criminal than the act of hoarding life-saving medicines in the middle of a raging pandemic. The DTI and FDA must ensure that hoarding and profiteering practices stop,\u201d AnaKalusugan party-list nominee Ray Roquero said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is incumbent upon government to ensure that everyone has equitable access to these essential medicines,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
As COVID-19 cases continue to soar during the flu season, many have raised concern on social media about their difficulties in purchasing paracetamol and anti-flu pills used to treat headaches, colds, and fever, among others.<\/p>\n
“We also appeal to consumers to purchase only a reasonable quantity of drugs, medicines and supplies, in consideration of everyone in the community. We should only buy medicines when clinically warranted,\u201d the Anakalusugan nominee said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHoarding denies poor people access to essential products like medicines and increases the prices of these commodities,\u201d Roquero added.<\/p>\n
Hoarding of drugs and medicines as well as profiteering are punishable under Section 24 of Republic Act 9502 or the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008.<\/p>\n
Any person or entity who violates this law could be imprisoned for five to 15 years or be meted a fine of P100,000 to P10 million.<\/p>\n
AnaKalusugan likewise appealed to drug manufacturers to expedite the replenishment of branded and generic paracetamol supplies at the drug store level.<\/p>\n
The Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) said it could take at least three days more to resupply the medicines.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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