MANILA, Philippines – The government has now implemented a purchase limit on paracetamol and other flu medications.
Amid the artificial shortage of these drugs being experienced in certain areas, the government has stepped in to intervene with hoarding, as people stock up on supplies and mild cases of Covid positive patients medicate at home.
Now, an individual may buy only 20 paracetamol tablets, while a household may have 60 tablets at most.
The screen capture below shows the purchase cap for other in-demand medicines, set by the Department of Health and the Department of Trade and Industry in the DOH-DTI Joint Memorandum Circular NO. 22-01 series of 2022:
Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles emphasized that the memorandum released also prohibits online selling of the mentioned medicines unless otherwise approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Violators will face the corresponding penalties under the Price Act, Consumer Act of the Philippines, and other relevant laws.
Because of the overwhelming demand, many pharmacies in the metro have run out of stock and suppliers are working double-time to provide ample replenishment.
The DOH, however, guaranteed that there is no shortage of these medicines in the country and that generic alternatives are available.
The DTI Secretary also said that supplies for these medicines will soon be delivered to their contact drugstores, stabilizing the equilibrium between demand and supply.