DoH execs to attend Senate hearing on 'pyramiding'

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DoH) on Sunday expressed its readiness to attend the hearing of the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing this week on the alleged Bell-Kenz pyramiding controversy.

Health Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said the agency «will present its positions and answer all questions at the hearing itself.»

The Blue Ribbon committee chaired by Sen. Pia Cayetano calendared the hearing last May 15 as a follow up to the inquiry conducted last month where senators grilled the officials of Bell-Kenz pharma for allegedly engaging in pyramiding and other unethical marketing practices involving doctors and pharmacies.

The DoH and its attached agencies like the Food and Drug Administration will face the senators.

Some doctors involved in Bell-Kenz are reportedly practitioners at the Philippine Heart Center (PHC).

The PHC, during last month's hearing, assured it will cooperate with the Senate probe.

The FDA reiterated its warning to the public against accessing drug products from medical doctors, unauthorized clinics, and other health facilities.

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«Under Republic Act (RA) 10918, dispensing was defined as the sum of processes performed by a pharmacist from reading, validating and interpreting prescriptions: preparing; packaging; labeling; record keeping; dose calculations; and counseling or giving information, in relation to the sale or transfer of pharmaceutical products with or without a prescription or medication order. Dispensing is an exclusive activity of a pharmacist, to be conducted only within a licensed establishment.»

FDA spokesman Pamela Sevilla clarified that the announcement or advisory is not for Bell-Kenz in particular but «applies in general.»

«We issue these advisories so that the public is also aware of the laws/policies that we are implementing in the FDA,» she said.

The DoH has issued Administrative Order No. 2020-0017 requiring all establishments that sell or offer for sale drug products to first secure appropriate License to Operate or authorization from FDA prior to engaging in such activities, she added.

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Medical doctors, as part of their practice, utilize drug products, but some procure, store,