QuestionsQuestions (DOH ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 169, S. 2004)
The issuance is anchored mainly on Republic Act (RA) No. 6675 (Generics Act of 1988), which mandates the use of generic names in government health agencies and their transactions involving purchasing, prescribing, dispensing, and administering of drugs.
It is the identification of drugs and medicines by their scientifically and internationally recognized active ingredients or by their official generic name as determined by the Bureau of Food and Drugs of the DOH.
It is the State policy to encourage the extensive use of drugs with generic names through a rational system of procurement and distribution.
It applies only to all DOH facilities, including retained and special hospitals, centers for health development, services, bureaus, offices, medical centers, sanitaria, and all other units administratively and operationally under the control of the DOH.
No. The order requires exclusive use of generic names or generic terminology in all transactions related to procurement, prescribing, dispensing, and administering, and states that corresponding brand names shall no longer be specified.
It states that the rule applies even to drugs still under patent protection; the corresponding brand names should not be specified.
The Heads of DOH facilities, such as Chiefs of Hospitals, Centers for Health Development Directors, and others, act as Head National Drug Policy Compliance Officers of their respective units.
The Therapeutics Committee members/officers, as designated, serve as National Drug Policy Compliance Officers for routine staff work and monitoring activities, reporting directly to the Head National Drug Policy Compliance Officer.
The Head of the DOH facility designates subordinate personnel to serve as National Drug Policy Compliance Officers.
They must establish a “Gamot Mabisa Abot-Kaya (GMA-50) Help Desk” to help the public access low-cost essential drugs available in stock and provide information/referral for demanded essential drugs and other rational drug use informational needs; it also serves as the central unit for receiving public complaints.
An updated list of all available drugs carried in its stock or being sold by the hospital pharmacy.
They must exert diligence and prescribe generically equivalent drugs that are carried in the hospital’s stock/pharmacy.
At least: (a) seminars/trainings on Generics Law provisions; (b) development and dissemination of IEC materials for public awareness and access to generic drugs; (c) establishment of the GMA-50 Help Desk; and (d) yearly celebration of the Generics month.
The Head of the DOH facility must submit a quarterly report every three months, during the second week of April, July, October, and January, to the Office of the Undersecretary/Project Executive Officer/Pharmaceutical Management Unit on activities related to the Generics Law, including lists of personnel violating the law and non-compliance with generic prescribing.
Non-compliance is elevated by the concerned Heads of DOH Facilities to the Office of the Undersecretary, Project Executive Officer, Pharmaceutical Management Unit, and sanctions shall be imposed in accordance with RA 6675 and other applicable existing laws, rules, and regulations.
Administrative Order No. 51, series of 1988 titled “Implementing Guidelines for Department of Health Compliance with Republic Act 6675 (Generics Act of 1988).”
It shall be effective immediately after publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
If any provision is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected remain valid and subsisting.