Saturday, November 21, 2020

Imposing price cap on COVID vaccines is difficult, DTI admits

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Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez on Saturday admitted that demanding for a price ceiling on COVID-19 vaccines  will be difficult for the government to negotiate.

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, the Trade chief pointed out the developing a vaccine requires a lot of investment and extensive research.

“[Kaya] hindi basta-basta makapaglalagay ng price cap [sa vaccine],” Lopez said.

“Example ito ng gamot na pinag-uukulan ng research and development investment at ginastusan talaga,” he said, noting that vaccines are normally expensive.

However, once various vaccines are available in the market, competition can influence pricing.

Nevertheless, the government assured that doses of COVID vaccines will be given to the poor for free.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said that priority will be given to the poor, security forces, government frontline workers, and healthcare workers as the Philippines plans to purchase an initial 50 million doses of COVID vaccines for at least 25 million Filipinos next year.

Duterte also approved the recommendations for the Philippines to enter into advance supply agreements and provide early payments to COVID-19 vaccine producers. —LBG, GMA News

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http://phlebotomytechnicianprogram.org/imposing-price-cap-on-covid-vaccines-is-difficult-dti-admits/

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