THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATfi 
S.B. No. 
-3 $ 3 2 3  
' Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
C st. 
The Constitution, Article 13, Section 11, provides: 
The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to 
health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health, 
and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost. 
A guide which indicates the prices of drugs will help the consumers determine the 
ffectiveness of prescription drugs and therapies. This will enable the buyer to 
adequately exercise his option by giving him sufficient information about the prices of 
other drug products available in the market. 
The purpose of the bill is to direct the Department of Health to prepare and 
publish an annual consumer guide for the prices of prescription drugs 
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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
-3 P320 
First Regular Session 
) 
a
w
 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO PEPARE AND PUBLISH 
ANNUALLY A CONSUMER GUIDE TO PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES 
I 
I 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Prescription Drug 
Consumer Information Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declurution of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to ensure the 
adequate supply of prescription drugs at the lowest possible cost. As embodied in the 
Constitution, the State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health 
development which shall endeavor to make essential foods, health and other social 
services available to all people at affordable cost. 
SECTION 3. DeJinition of Terms. -For purposes of this Act, the term: 
(1) “Department” means the Department of Health. 
(2) “Consumer Guide” means the listing of prescription drug prices. 
SECTION 4. Preparation of Consumer Guide. - The Department shall prepare 
and publish in accordance with this Act a consumer guide to prescription drug prices. 
SECTION ~ 5. Information to be Contained in the Consumer Guide. - The 
consumer guide shall contain - 


(1) A list of the prices of all prescription dmgs in an easy-to-understand 
format organized by therapeutic category; and 
(2) Such other related information as the Department determines will 
assist 
(A) consumers in reducing expenses for prescription drugs; and 
(B) health care providers in determining the cost-effectiveness of 
prescription drugs as compared to other prescription dmgs and to other 
therapies. 
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SECTIONj6 Publication. - The Department shall publish the first consumer 
guide within one (1) year after the date of the enactment of this Act and shall publish an 
updated version of the consumer guide annually thereafter. In addition, the Department 
shall publish quarterly in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation changes in the 
prices of prescription drugs between the dates of the annual publication of the consumer 
guide. 
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SECTION 7. Availability of Consumer Guide. - The Department shall - 
(1) provide the consumer guide to public libraries; 
(2) provide for the dissemination of the consumer guide widely to 
consumers of prescription drngs and health care providers; and 
(3) encourage organizations representing senior citizens, health care 
consumers, and health care professionals to make the consumer guide available to the 
members of the organizations. 
SECTION 8. Fees for Consumer Guide. - 
(1) In General - Except as provided in subsection (2), the Department 
shall charge a reasbnable fee for providing the consumer guide which may not exceed an 
amount reasonably related to the costs of publishing and distributing the consumer guide. 


(2) Exception - The Department shall not charge a fee for providing the 
consumer guide to public libraries. 
(3) Fees Collected - Fees collected in exchange for providing the 
consumer guide shall be used by the D epartment to c over the costs o f p ublishing and 
distributing the consumer guide. 
SECTION 9. Separability CZause. - If any provision or part thereof, is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the reminder of the law of the provision not otherwise 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION ;lo. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, 
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or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended 
accordingly. 
SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. - This'Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
FN: 1402 IPS