Hundreds of doctors from private and government-run hospitals in Negros Oriental yesterday vowed to continue their protest against a provision of the Cheaper Medicine Bill (HB 2844) which they claim is detrimental to the health and welfare of the general public.

At a press conference yesterday at the Silliman University Medical Center , a position paper on the controversial bill was read and plans of a motorcade and other activities that doctors will spearhead on January 27 were announced.

The joint position paper of the Negros Oriental Medical Society, and the local chapters of the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, the Philippine College of Physicians, the Philippine Medical Women's Association, and the Negros Oriental Hospital Systems, focused mainly on the clause that prohibits medical, dental and veterinary doctors from prescribing the brand name of their medicine of choice in addition to the generic name in every patient encounter.

The doctors claimed they are not opposing the Bill per se, as they are supporting the move to make quality medicine affordable to patients at a lower cost.

However, they expressed apprehension over the consequences of such prohibition.

In their position paper, they said that they are ultimately responsible for the well-being of their patients, and should, at the very least, have the right to express what they believe is beneficial for them.

The Negros Oriental doctors also lambasted the prohibition against writing the brand name of a medicine next to its generic name as a violation of their freedom of expression, and called it “unconstitutional”.*JG

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