By Brian Campued
In line with the administration’s commitment to improve access to safe, quality, and affordable medicines for every Filipino, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Professional Regulatory Board of Pharmacy (PRC-BoP), and participating pharmacies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the launch of the Regulatory Sandbox Pilot Program for Flexible Supervision of Pharmacies.
The MOU, which was presented to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Malacañan Palace on Thursday, aims to address the gap in the availability of registered pharmacists through flexible supervision mechanisms to ensure that Filipinos in underserved areas have access to essential medicines.
“Inilunsad natin ang isang pilot program kasama ang ating mga katuwang mula sa pribadong sektor para gawing mas madali ang pagbili ng gamot, lalo na sa mga lugar na walang pharmacist,” the President said ina Facebook post.
Under the MOU, licensed pharmacists will be authorized to supervise several pharmacies through remote supervision and telepharmacy. This initiative seeks to address the current shortage of about 27,500 registered pharmacists in the country, according to the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC).
To ensure compliance with Republic Act No. 10918 or the Philippine Pharmacy Act of 2016, which requires one registered pharmacist for every pharmacy, the FDA will develop and issue implementing guidelines to operationalize the Regulatory Sandbox Pilot.
“The forthcoming implementing guidelines will serve as a roadmap to ensure the effective, coordinated, and transparent execution of this pilot initiative,” the agency said in a news release.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said the pilot program will run from 2025 to 2027, with potential pilot areas including Caloocan, Manila, Abra, Ilocos, La Union, Camarines Sur, Quezon, Iloilo, Negros, and Misamis.
“Sama-sama ang gobyerno at pribadong sektor para sa mas mabilis na serbisyo, mas ligtas at mas abot-kayang gamot para sa lahat,” Marcos said.
-jpv
