Senators on Tuesday put the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the defensive over what they described as persistent failures to stop the circulation of counterfeit and unregulated medicines in markets and on digital platforms.
The issue dominated a hearing of the Senate committee on health and demography, where lawmakers questioned the agency’s enforcement capacity and demanded tougher action to protect consumers.
Committee chair Sen. Risa Hontiveros warned that lax regulation threatens the country’s Universal Health Care program, noting that public health gains would be eroded if unsafe products continue to reach Filipinos.
“Sa online shopping, si seller, mabilis gumalaw, nakakapagtago sa iba’t-ibang account, mabilis magpalit ng business model. Samantalang yung mamimili, salat sa proteksyon, para pa ngang pinag-e-eksperimentuhan na,”Hontiveros said, flagging online selling as a major vulnerability.
Hontiveros added that reports of younger patients in dialysis centers point to the dangers of consuming supplements and medicines with unclear origins, prompting calls to hold both regulators and platforms accountable.
Sen. Raffy Tulfo escalated the criticism by presenting samples of alleged fake medicines bought in Binondo and Quiapo and accusing the FDA of tolerating their sale, asking why raids were not being carried out despite known health risks.
Pressed on leadership and accountability, FDA Director General Paolo Teston said he serves at the pleasure of the President and the public, while lawmakers cited data showing that only a handful of cases had resulted in charges or convictions out of thousands of complaints filed.