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Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 53855

INTRODUCED BY CONGRESSMAN ALFRED VARGAS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Bleeding disorders, which includes Hemophilia and von Willebrand disease, are
genetic and debilitating blood clotting conditions where the patient's blood lacks the ability
to clot normally. This may lead to severe and spontaneous bleeding episodes even for just
minor injuries.

According to the World Federation of Hemophilia, approximately 100,000 Filipinos
are suffering from bleeding disorders. However, only around 1,200 patients are properly
identified and have been registered with the Philippine Hemophilia Foundation. Most
bleeding disorder patients in the country are left undiagnosed due to lack of awareness of
the symptoms by both patients and health professionals.

Another problem that patients face is the lack of access to medical care. First, the
cost of treating bleeding disorders is very expensive. As cited by the Hemophilia Advocates
Philippines, the case of mild bleeding in the joints can cost Php 30,000.00 to Php 50,000.00
per treatment. Treating severe bleeding can cost hundreds of thousands of pesos, if not
millions, Also, there are hardly any treatment facilities catering to thousands of hemophilia
patients from all over the Philippine archipelago. Given that the families can afford the
treatment, patients from far-flung provinces are forced to travel to Metro Manila to have
them admitted to the Philippine Blood Center in Quezon City.

‘Thus, there is an urgent need for the State to include hemophilia care in the national
health agenda

This bill provides for the establishment of hemophilia treatment facilities in key
cities and regions in the Philippines. These treatment centers are expected to provide
necessary and adequate medical care to bleeding disorder patients at the lowest possible
costs,

In line of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. |

“ALFKED VARGAS


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 5355

INTRODUCED BY CONGRESSMAN ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT
PROVIDING A STANDARD OF CARE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PERSONS WITH
BLEEDING DISORDERS, ESTABLISHING TREATMENT CENTERS AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Bleeding Disorder
Standards of Care Act of 2017.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - itis hereby declared the policy of the State:

(4) To ensure the adequate treatment of hemophilia at the lowest possible cost and
endeavor to make them available for free to indigent patients;

(2) To ensure the establishment of treatment centers in public hospitals; and

(3) To establish a standard of care so that patients with severe bleeding disorders
can receive necessary and appropriate medical care.

SEC. 3. Definitions. - For the purposes of this Act:

(1) Bleeding Disorder refers to a medical condition characterized by severe
deficiency or absence of one or more essential blood clotting proteins in the
human blood, often called factors, including all forms of hemophilia, von
Willebrand disease and other bleeding disorders which result in uncontrollable
bleeding or abnormal blood clotting.

(2) Blood Clotting Product refers to an intravenously-administered medicine
manufactured from human plasma, recombitant biotechnology techniques and
other processes, approved for distribution by the Bureau of Food and Drugs
(BFAD) and which is used for the treatment and prevention of symptoms
associated with bleeding disorders. This term includes, but is not limited to:

a. Factor Vila, Factor Vil and Factor IX products;
b. Von Willebrand Factor products;

cc. Prothrombin complex concentrates;

d. Activated prothrombin complex concentrates;


e. Other products approved by the BFAD for the treatment of bleeding
disorders and associated inhibitors.

(3) Indigent Patient refers to any patient deemed unable to pay for services and or
medical treatment, laboratory testing of blood and/or coagulation studies, or
blood coagulating products and/or ancillary infusion equipment.

(4) DOH refers to the Department of Health.
(5) BFAD refers to the Bureau of Food and Drugs.

(6) Hemophilia refers to a human bleeding disorder caused by a hereditary
deficiency of the Factor Vill, Factor IX or Factor XI blood clotting protein in
human blood.

(7) Von Willebrand Disease refers to a human bleeding disorder caused by a
hereditary deficiency or abnormality of the von Willebrand Factor in the human
blood.

Sec. 4, State Treatment Facilities - The State shall establish hemophilia treatment
facilities in key cities and regions nationwide in designated hospitals with Cancer and
Hematology Departments.

Each Hemophilia Treatment Facility shall provide to all hemophilia patients:

(1) Care by qualified hematologists and medical doctors and shall also. provide, free
of charge, the necessary blood clotting products and ancillary infusion
equipment necessary for the infusion of such blood clotting products;

(2) Aroom exclusively for hemophilia patients; and

(3)A clinical coagulation laboratory for the screening, diagnosis, provisional
diagnosis, and treatment of bleeding disorders or suspected bleeding disorders
and such services shall be provided free of charge to all indigent patients.

Sec. 5, Funding. - The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Act
shall be sourced from the current budget of the Department of Health. Thereafter, the funds
necessary for the continuous implementation of this Act in the ensuing years shall be
included in the General Appropriations Act.

The treatment facilities are allowed to use five percent (5%) of the amount given for
the maintenance of the rooms that will be used exclusively for hemophilia patients.
However, ninety percent (90%) of the amount shall be used exclusively for necessary blood
clotting products to hemophilia patients. The remaining five percent (5%) shall be used for
blood screening of hemophilia patients.

Each treatment facility shall submit an annual report to the DOH on how the amount
given is used.


Sec. 6. Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act, the
Department of Health (DOH) shall, in consultation with hemophilia advocacy groups,
promulgate the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) to carry out the provisions of this
Act.

Sec. 7. Separability Clause. - If for any reason, any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or invalid, the other parts of provisions hereof which are not affected
thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

Sec. 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect on the fifteenth day following its
publication in at least two (2) daily papers of national circulation.

Approved,