Lawmaker pushes for locally produced anti-COVID medicines

House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Marlyn B. Alonte advocates for the local mass-production of anti-new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pills. She said that these taken-by-mouth pills “cut the risk of hospitalization and death by nearly 90%”.
Alonte said that the Department of Trade and Industry-Board of Investments should link with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the local pharmaceutical manufacturers on how the anti-COVID19 medicines and other drugs in the Geneva, Switzerland-based Medicines Patent Pool can be produced in the Philippines.
That the various COVID-19 vaccines, supplies and equipment for the national vaccination program can utilize the existing economic zones and industrial estates for their production, Alonte further said.