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Prices, Availability and Affordability of Medicines with Value-Added Tax Exemption: A Cross-Sectional Survey in the Philippines

Author

Listed:
  • Krizzia Lambojon

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China
    Research Institute for Drug Safety and Monitoring, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, China’s Western Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Jie Chang

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China
    Research Institute for Drug Safety and Monitoring, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, China’s Western Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Amna Saeed

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China
    Research Institute for Drug Safety and Monitoring, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, China’s Western Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Khezar Hayat

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China
    Research Institute for Drug Safety and Monitoring, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, China’s Western Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Pengchao Li

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China
    Research Institute for Drug Safety and Monitoring, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, China’s Western Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Minghuan Jiang

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China
    Research Institute for Drug Safety and Monitoring, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, China’s Western Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Naveel Atif

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China
    Research Institute for Drug Safety and Monitoring, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, China’s Western Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Gebrehaweria Kassa Desalegn

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China
    Research Institute for Drug Safety and Monitoring, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, China’s Western Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Faiz Ullah Khan

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China
    Research Institute for Drug Safety and Monitoring, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, China’s Western Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Yu Fang

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China
    Research Institute for Drug Safety and Monitoring, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, China’s Western Technology Innovation Harbor, Xi’an 710061, China)

Abstract

Background: Developing countries, such as the Philippines, started implementing policies to improve access to medicines, which is a vital step toward universal healthcare coverage. This study aimed to evaluate the prices, availability and affordability of prescribed medicines for diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and hypertension with the exemption of 12% value-added tax in the Philippines. Methods: The prices and availability of 50 medicines were collected in August 2019 from 36 public and 42 private medicine outlets in six regions of the Philippines, following a modified methodology developed by the World Health Organization and Health Action International. Availability is reported as the percentage of outlets in which the surveyed medicine was found at the time of visit. Medicine prices are expressed as median unit prices (MUPs) in Philippine Peso. Affordability is calculated based on the number of days’ wages required for the lowest-paid unskilled government worker to purchase a monthly treatment. Results: The mean availability of surveyed medicines was low in both public and private sectors, with 1.3% for originator brands (OBs) and 25.0% for lowest-priced generics (LPGs) in public outlets, and 34.7% and 35.4% in private outlets, respectively. The MUP of medicines were higher in private outlets, and OBs have higher unit price compared to the generic equivalents. Treatments with OBs were unaffordable, except for gliclazide, but the affordability of most LPGs is generally good. Conclusion: Access to medicines in both sectors was affected by low availability. High prices of OBs influenced the affordability of medicines even with tax exemption. A review of policies and regulations should be initiated for a better access to medicines in the Philippines.

Suggested Citation

  • Krizzia Lambojon & Jie Chang & Amna Saeed & Khezar Hayat & Pengchao Li & Minghuan Jiang & Naveel Atif & Gebrehaweria Kassa Desalegn & Faiz Ullah Khan & Yu Fang, 2020. "Prices, Availability and Affordability of Medicines with Value-Added Tax Exemption: A Cross-Sectional Survey in the Philippines," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-15, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:14:p:5242-:d:387255
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Margaret Ewen & Marjolein Zweekhorst & Barbara Regeer & Richard Laing, 2017. "Baseline assessment of WHO’s target for both availability and affordability of essential medicines to treat non-communicable diseases," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(2), pages 1-13, February.
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    3. Caijun Yang & Shuchen Hu & Yanbing Zhu & Wenwen Zhu & Zongjie Li & Yu Fang, 2019. "Evaluating access to oral anti-diabetic medicines: A cross-sectional survey of prices, availability and affordability in Shaanxi Province, Western China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(10), pages 1-13, October.
    4. Amna Saeed & Hamid Saeed & Zikria Saleem & Yu Fang & Zaheer-Ud-Din Babar, 2019. "Evaluation of prices, availability and affordability of essential medicines in Lahore Division, Pakistan: A cross-sectional survey using WHO/HAI methodology," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(4), pages 1-16, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yan Mu & Kuimeng Song & Yan Song, 2022. "A Cross-Sectional Study of Price and Affordability of Drugs for Rare Diseases in Shandong Province, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-16, October.

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