QuestionsQuestions (ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2018-00020)
It is anchored on Republic Act No. 9502 (Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act), which directed the Secretary of Health to establish an electronic drug price monitoring and regulation system for drugs and medicines.
The primary aim is to address information asymmetry in medicine prices and empower patients/consumers to make intelligent purchasing choices, while also serving as a vital reference for DOH in formulating pricing policies for essential medicines.
The Order applies to DOH bureaus/attached agencies/ROs, LGUs, government and private health facilities, drug establishments and outlets, and other data beneficiaries subject to compliance with the rules stated in the Order.
Medicines selected to address the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the country; specifically those listed in the current Philippine National Formulary (PNF) and the PNF for Primary Health Care that the facility carries, including drugs under DOH mandatory/voluntary price reduction schemes (MRP & GMAP).
It refers to incomplete, wrong, or incorrect data submitted/uploaded to the EDPMS.
It uploads once a year by geographical cluster: Metro Manila in January, Luzon in April, Visayas in July, and Mindanao in October.
It uploads quarterly its selling prices and inventory through EDPMS.
Hospitals upload selling prices to patients and inventory on a quarterly basis; medicine prices are understood to be consistently applied for in-patient and out-patient care.
They must upload quarterly their purchase price, selling price, and inventory data.
They upload quarterly their selling price based on the largest volume.
No. Toll Manufacturers are exempt to upload because they only process raw materials or semi-finished goods for another company.
The data to be uploaded should be the latest transaction per item recorded during the month before the uploading month (e.g., last transaction day of December, March, June, and September for January, April, July, and October uploads).
The PD defines authorized users, access levels/permission rights, reviews/approves requests to access the system and/or data, and assigns/issue unique usernames and passwords to each drug establishment/outlet user.
It is issued by the Pharmaceutical Division and Regional Offices to drug establishments/outlets that wish to participate in government bidding; it is also stated as a requirement for establishments to participate in government tendering activities for drugs and medicines.
Blacklisted status due to consistent non-compliance shall not exceed one (1) year, and it will be lifted upon compliance. Additionally, for lifting after blacklisting, the facility must comply with uploading for one (1) year after being blacklisted.
The FDA imposes sanctions per AO’s Chapter VIII (referring to RA 9502 IRR Chapter XIV): starting with written warning and progressing to increasing fines, product recall where applicable, possible suspension/revocation of CPR, and blacklisting depending on the number of violations. It also states an additional P2,500 per day penalty if the violation continues after receipt of the DOH/other body’s order.