OTC drug registration going online this year

THE Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it hopes to roll out an online portal for registering over-the-counter (OTC) medicines within the year.

“We will soon launch the online application portal for the registration of OTC medicines. This is (currently) undergoing public consultation,” FDA Director General Paolo S. Teston said at the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Luncheon Meeting on Tuesday.

The portal is expected to speed up the application process and shorten turnaround times for OTC medicine, he said.

“Over-the-counter medicines are the most commonly consumed, in particular for non-communicable diseases,” Mr. Teston told reporters on the sidelines of the event.

Mr. Teston added that having more market authorizations for pharmaceutical products would ensure competitive pricing.

“This will ultimately improve our patients’ access to quality, safe, effective, and affordable medicine,” Mr. Teston added.

Meanwhile, the FDA is also seeking the help of law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Customs, to contain the proliferation of counterfeit vaccines.

Mr. Teston said: “We really need the help of the Bureau of Customs to really catch the big sellers of counterfeit vaccines,” adding that previous operations have netted only smaller players.

The FDA has seized P56.8 million worth of unregistered and counterfeit medicine in the last eight months, Mr. Teston told the Senate in January.

It has also taken down 1,531 online listings for unregistered and counterfeit products between November and January, he said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz