Allow over-the-counter medications to be sold at sari-sari stores: Senate bet
MANILA, Philippines — Dr. Minguita Padilla, a senatorial candidate for the Partido Reporma and a health advocate, believes that “sari-sari” or small retail establishments should be permitted to offer over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.
When asked about the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) plan to ban sales of paracetamol, dextromethorphan, and other basic drugs in neighborhood outlets, Padilla said during a campaign sortie in Lucena City, Quezon on Tuesday, “Hindi dapat ipagbawal ang mga sari-sari store na magbenta ng mga OTC na gamot (Sari-sari stores should not be prevented from
This comes amid accusations of “sari-sari” businesses selling counterfeit drugs to battle coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), which the government has warned is harmful because they are unregulated and unlicensed, and could have catastrophic adverse effects.
Padilla, who was in Quezon with Partido Reporma presidential candidate Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Vice Presidential candidate Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, and other senatorial candidates, said OTC medicines can be purchased without a prescription at local “botikas” (pharmacies) and even large grocery stores.
If the FDA goes ahead with the idea, Padilla believes it will make it more difficult for Filipinos to obtain drugs for common conditions since they will have to go outside of their areas to do so.
“Ito ay labis na pagpapahirap sa mga baryo ng ordinaryong mamamayan.” If laging can provide a barangay health center for the ganitong gamot, then that’s fine. But, alas, wala naman. This is too much for the ordinary people in the barrios, or malayo ang mga bahay sa pinakamalapit na botika (This is too much for the ordinary people in the barrios.) Maybe it’ll be fine if barangay health centers always have a supply of these (OTC) drugs. However, there isn’t one. Pity the slum dwellers or those who live far away from a drugstore),” she remarked.
Padilla maintained that the sale of pharmaceuticals that require a doctor’s prescription and must be distributed by a pharmacist should be prohibited.
She also stated that the government should pursue counterfeit OTC drug manufacturers.
To alert the public, the agency should publicize the brands of these bogus drugs and their distributors on their website, as well as in newspapers, radio, and television.
“Ang ganitong unlawful na aktibidad, kaunting imbestigasyon at political will, matitigil ang ganitong imbestigasyon at political will.”
This illegal operation can be stopped with a little research and political will (Yan ang tamang solusyon, hindi ang pagpapahirap sa taumbayan). This is the correct answer (rather than causing more suffering to the people),” Padilla remarked.
Meanwhile, if Lacson and Sotto win the May 9 elections, Lacson has promised that no corruption or other government abuses will occur under the newly constituted Department of Migrant Workers.
Lacson said this in an interview with Bombo Radyo on Tuesday when questioned about his plans for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) if he becomes the country’s 17th President.
The Lacson-Sotto team thinks that government corruption and greed are at the root of many Filipinos’ problems, including OFWs, who are regarded as the country’s modern heroes.
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