Pfizer faces tough fight with Filipino retail drugstores

MANILA – Sen. Mar Roxas, a vice presidential bet, has challenged global drug giant Pfizer, Inc. to stop bullying the local retail drugstore industry and leave it out of its patent war with United Laboratories over the sale of a patented medicine.

United Laboratories, the country’s largest pharmaceutical company, has been accused of manufacturing a Pfizer drug even before the expiration of its license on the anti-cholesterol drug. Roxas, in pursuing his advocacy to put cheaper medicines within reach of poor Filipinos in drugstores nationwide, said retail drugstores are merely complying with the requirements of Republic Act No. 9502 -- the law known as the "Universally Accessible Cheaper Quality Medicines Act of 2009" -- and that they should not be pressured by Pfizer into stopping their sale of Unilab’s Avamax. Only recently, Pfizer warned retail drugstores nationwide that they could face legal suits if they fail to stop selling Avamax, Unilab’s cheaper version of Pfizer’s anti-cholesterol drug Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium), claiming it has exclusive distribution rights in the sale of the drug which it said was still under patent with Warner Lambert, a company bought by Pfizer in 2004. Taking the cudgels for drugstores selling of the cheaper Avamax, the senator categorically said “that retail drugstores should not be dragged into this controversy, especially since they only desire to make cheaper quality medicines available to our people.” Having said this, he also assured the retail drugstores of his unflinching commitment, saying if they continue to sell cheaper version of the anti-cholesterol drug they'll have unconditional support against any form of intimidation from “Pfizer’s bullying tactics.” Roxas also gave the same assurance of support to local companies such as Watsons Personal Care Stores (Phils.) Inc., Rose Pharmacy Inc., Mercury Drug Corporation, and the Drugstore Association of the Philippines (DSAP) while asking their formal position on the matter.