Manila (17 September) -- Cheaper medicines are now also available in small town pharmacies across the country.

This as the total implementation of the mandatory price cut of some medicines takes effect since September 15, or last Tuesday.

The mandatory price cut, now implemented in small drugstores in towns takes effect a month after the law ordered pharmacies with automated ordering systems to implement since August 15.

Brought down by the government's implementation of the Cheaper Medicines Act and the voluntary offer by pharmaceutical companies, the move also makes easy public access to seven categorized drugs.

Some of the categorized drugs are anti-hypertensives, anti-cholesterol, anti-thrombotic, anti-diabetics, anti-biotics and anti-cancer drugs.

On this, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has directed the Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to monitor the implementation of the law.

Bohol Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Health Chair Cesar Tomas Lopez has called everyone in communities to help monitor the implementation of the law in as much as it should help alleviate the concerns of people taking maintenance drugs.

Lopez, who is a physician by profession said any drugstore who does not properly implement the law should be reported right away.

Included in the price cut are anti-hypertensives Telmisartan's Micardis, Aprovel, Norvasc, Lipitor and Zithromax, Cytosar-U and Adriblastina.

Also in are anti-thrombotics like Plavix and anti-diabetic Diamicron.

Antibiotic Tacozin's Piperazillin, Ciprobay, Flagyl, Augmentin's are sold at half the price in pharmacies.