Price freeze guidelines of medicines during disasters
The Department of Health (DOH) recently issued the guidelines for price freeze of medicines during disasters and emergencies.This is pursuant to Republic Act no. 7581 or "An Act Providing protection to Consumers by Stabilizing the Prices of Basic Necessities and Price Commodities and by Prescribing Measures Against undue Price Increases during Emergency Situation and like Situations". The new guidelines under DOH Administrative Order no. 2014-0001 dated January 1, 2014 was issued to guide consumers, hospitals, private and public drug outlets, other health care facilities and other government entities on the ethical prices of medicines during states of national calamities and emergencies. Under the nine-point implementing guidelines, upon declaration of state of calamity by the President, all public and private drug retail outlets including hospital pharmacies shall implement the price freeze or the maximum ceiling price set by DOH for essential medicines. The pr