Meeting the challenge of providing better, more affordable therapies

It is interesting to note that here in the Philippines, the acronym PHAP answers to two separate and unrelated organizations.

One is the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc., established in March 1979 by a group of private hospital administrators and medical professionals while the other is the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines, a much older group—established in July 1946—formed by 10 individuals representing the era’s leading pharmaceutical wholesalers.

While there is nothing wrong with two associations having the same initials, there were instances when the public mistakes one for the other.

“And we don’t want confusion especially if it is the other one that issued the controversial statement, for example,” said the newly appointed Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines president, Carlito Realuyo.

Indeed, this issue will be among the agenda Realuyo will lay down as he took over the top post of the organization made up of research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies.

Intensify

As such, PHAP will intensify its efforts to inform the public how vital the organization is in helping the country improve its health sector through the continuous development of new, better, more efficacious and cost-effective drug therapies.

“But more than providing Filipinos with new, better, more efficacious and cost effective drugs, what PHAP is also doing for the past few years is to start the process that would eventually provide every Filipino the highest possible quality of healthcare regardless of one’s economic status,” Realuyo said.

He informed that compared to other countries in the region, the Philippines’ level of health expenditure is below the 5 percent international standard set by the World Health Organization.

To meet the 5 percent GDP health expenditure set by the WHO, the Philippines should spend at least P440 billion.

However, in the P1.816-trillion national budget for 2012, the Department of Health will only get P44.4 billion.

Not enough

Realuyo said this will never be enough as patients’ out-of-pocket spending for health comprises more than half of the total amount, dwarfing the share of the government and social insurance.

“Sadly, we are the only country if not one of the very few countries in the world wherein when one gets sick, that person gets poorer afterward. This is because in the Philippines, it is still the patient who shoulders the medicines that should be bought as well as the fees that must be paid the doctor,” Realuyo lamented.

Having a universal health insurance should solve the problem.

“But this will never be easy as PHAP is just one of the stakeholders. Nevertheless, PHAP has already started several initiatives that would, hopefully in the next five years, enable Filipinos, whatever their status in life and wherever they may be residing, enjoy universal health care,” he said.

More effective therapies

While pushing for this, Realuyo added that PHAP members will continue to invest in research and development that would result in new and more effective therapies.

He noted that in the past decades, the world has seen significant progress in the treatment of hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and other conditions.

“These are all due to discoveries of new therapies that have been and continue to be introduced in the country by PHAP member-companies. These are therapies and innovative medicines and treatment that save lives as well as give Filipino patients and doctor more therapeutic options. These therapies can also help control overall health spending by helping patients stay healthier and avoid costly hospitalizations,” explained Realuyo who is also president and GM of sanofi-aventis Philippines.

He added that despite the challenges due to increasing costs and risks in research and development, PHAP members have taken on the challenge to find better preventive and treatment options for diseases that are high on the global and local health agenda.

Aging population

“This year, the pharmaceutical sector is expected to give attention on the need for more effective healthcare for the country’s aging population as this will be the focus of this year’s World Health Day of the WHO,” he informed.

He said that WHO realized that as the population ages, the elderly are much more likely to suffer mobility health and disability problems, thus placing a strain on government finances and healthcare facilities.

“PHAP should be able to help as our members have the capacity to help in preventing and managing age-associated chronic diseases so older people retain their health and remain a resource for societies,” Realuyo said.