Tagbilaran City (21 August) -- Only pharmacies and drugstores with automated ordering systems are mandated by law to implement the mandatory reduction of prices of selected medicines effective August 15, clarified Sangguniang Panlalawigan Health Committee Chairman Cesar Tomas Lopez.

Those drugstores still operating on a manual basis still have until September 15 before they could be forced to implement the 50% reduction in prices as mandated by the cheaper medicines act, he said.

At the Kapihan sa PIA Thursday, Lopez, who is also a medical practitioner bared this during the weekly forum aired live over DyTR.

By Executive order 821, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo effected the 50% cut in 7 categorized drugs as voluntarily given by pharmaceutical companies.

The cut was also implemented after the Department of Health recommended to the country's chief executive the list of drugs that have been offered for reduction.

Some of the categorized drugs fall under anti-hypertensive, anti-cholesterol, anti-thrombotic, anti-diabetics, anti-biotics and anti-cancer drugs.

In a check with the list provided by Dr. Lopez, anti-hypertensive Telmisartan's Micardis is now lowered from 521.50 to 25.57 at the government mediated access (GMA) price. Aprovel, then at retailed at P48.76 is now P24.38. Norvasc's 10 mg tables is now retailed at a maximum price of at P38.50. Lipitor 10 mg coated tablet is 34.45 while zithromaz 200 mg suspension is now sold at P427.50.

Cytosar-U 100 mg vial and Adriblastiba 50 mg vial injection are also retailed at P900 and 1465.75 respectively.

For anti-thrombotics, like Plavix then at P123.50 is now at 61.75 for its 75mg film coated tablet.

For its anti-diabetic, Diamicron then priced at P17 is now sold at 7.50.

Antibiotic Tacozin's Piperazillin 2g 250 mg vial then sold at 2,175.50 is now at P730.00, Ciprobay 500 mg tablet then priced at 99.23 is now accessible at P49.65. Flagyl 125 mg suspension is sold at P131.00 then, is now at P65.50. Augmentin's 625 mg tablet then priced at P97.75 is now available at P48.90.

The rest of the medicines with shaved prices are anti-cancer drugs Blenoxane, Paraplatin, Platinol, Cytoxan, Vepesid, Piru-nethol and zexate alos cut their prices at half.