Project Lead(s): Bryan Albert Lim
Issue
Access to affordable and quality drugs remains an important global issue and, in the Philippines, such medication remains limited.
Several measures have been adopted by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to address this, but the retail mark-up of drugs remains consistently high (up to 335%) across the country.
Solution
The Pharmaceutical Transparency through Technology project was developed to show that, by making pharmaceutical information available and accessible to consumers, they can create a critical mass to effect price reductions from the pharmaceutical industry and pharmacies.
The project capitalized on the high levels of Internet and mobile access among Filipinos, to develop a web-based and mobile platform to permit pharmaceutical transparency. Specifically, it was aimed to: (1) enable the FDA to improve its functional capacity to regularly gather and monitor drug registration status, drug store compliance and drug price information; and (2) allow consumers to access the information needed to procure essential medications that are value-for-money (defined as procurement of FDA-approved drugs among FDA-monitored drug stores, at the lowest cost).
A web-based app, ‘LUNAS’, was developed and tested, with the following functionalities:
· A drug information database providing drug information, FDA registration status, drug store information, availability and drug price
· Providing consumer feedback on pharmaceutical-related events and drug store experience.
Outcome
There were 1,654 LUNAS web-based users recorded and a total of 255 healthcare professionals accessed the application.
Focus group discussions with some of these healthcare professionals showed increased knowledge and improved attitudes towards drug price, drugstore location, drug information and monitoring.
After use of LUNAS, 91% of pre-test respondents said the app helped them access essential drugs.
The Philippine Department of Health’s Health Regulations Division recognized the value of LUNAS and has indicated plans for national adoption of the technology. To this end, a technical working group was formed to harmonize LUNAS with the FDA systems for drug price monitoring.
The project also received support from the Philippine Senate Oversight Committee on Trade and Industry, which voiced their support for LUNAS as a platform to help address drug price variability.
Currently, LUNAS is in the process of integration into the Department of Health’s FDA system for nationwide use and has been well-received by the intended users (drug stores, healthcare workers and consumers) as a platform to support increased access to quality, low-cost medicines.
The project team hopes to partner with innovators to do the following:
· Create a map of Philhealth-accredited pharmacies to guide consumers regarding where they can get their medicines as part of their benefits.
· Extend the products database to include medical supplies.
· Provide search analytics to give insight about the supply and demand of medicines, which can be cross-referenced with location information.
· Provide real-time feedback to increase reporting of adverse events and other complaints from consumers.
The project will be applying for Phase II Transition To Scale funding.
