A lawmaker at the House of Representatives urged the Department of Health to remove or suspend the limit in the dispensing of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription drugs.
In filing House Resolution 2420, Senior Citizens Party-list Representative Rodolfo Ordanes said the limitation on dispensing prescription and OTC drugs to senior citizens has led to numerous complaints and has become untenable in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Any single dispensing of prescription drugs should not exceed more than one-month supply of medicines for senior citizens.”
Ordanes was referring to the Department of Health Administrative Order No. 2010-0032, which states that any single dispensing of prescription drugs should not exceed more than one-month supply of medicines for senior citizens while dispensing of OTC drugs may be limited for a supply of one day but not to exceed a maximum of 7 days.
“By maintaining the said limitations, senior citizens are put in a precarious situation where they are forced to increase their exposure to the public because they have to repeatedly go to their physician or local government health center just to acquire the needed prescription to purchase their medicines,’ the legislator said.
“The removal or suspension of the limit in dispensing OTC and prescription drugs would allow over 12 million senior citizens to store these drugs and maintain a supply for their medicinal needs beyond one week.”
The lawmaker stressed the removal or suspension of the limit in dispensing OTC and prescription drugs would allow over 12 million senior citizens to store these drugs and maintain a supply for their medicinal needs beyond one week.
“This will consequentially limit the need of our senior citizens to go out every week to purchase the drugs they need, which will therefore significantly lessen their possible exposure to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, promoting their health and well-being,” he concluded.
