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I. RATIONALE

Section 40 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Republic Act 9165) mandates that “all prescriptions (containing dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemicals) issued by physicians, dentists, veterinarians or practitioners shall be written on forms exclusively issued by and obtainable from the Department of Health (DOH). Such forms shall be made of a special kind of paper and shall be distributed in such quantities and contain such information and other data as the DOH may, by rules and regulations, require.”

In line with this, the Department of Health through Department Memorandum 2006-0036 dated March 6, 2006  entitled “Distribution and Sale of Yellow Prescription Pads has exclusively distributed controlled yellow prescription pads in all Centers for Health Development and two hospitals in Metro Manila for the past 2 years. However, there is a need to further increase accessibility to these prescriptions pads for the benefit of clients needing the prescription and the physicians, dentists and veterinarians using them. There is also a big demand from government physicians to make these pads available to them in their own hospitals.

In this regard, it is deemed necessary to increase the distribution sites to include all retained hospitals.

II. OBJECTIVE

To increase the access of authorized health personnel to yellow prescription pads and improve the utilization and monitoring of these.

III. SCOPE

The revised guidelines shall cover all Department of Health Centers for Health Development (DOH-CHDs) and Hospitals nationwide as well as partner agencies such as the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).

IV. GENERAL GUIDELINES

The following shall be observed in the management, distribution and sale of the pads:

A. DOH Central Office

1. The Special Concerns Technical Cluster (SCTC), DOH through the dangerous drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program (DDAPTP) shall be responsible in forecasting the number of secured yellow prescription pads requested annually, estimating the funding requirements for it, including it in the Annual Procurement Plan, coordinating its printing by the National Printing Office, and preparing the allocation list based on need. The materials management division shall be responsible for the storage and delivery of the yellow prescription pads and for its distribution based on the allocation list. The Program shall be responsible for informing the distribution sites (CHDs, Hospitals and partner agencies) of the initial shipment of stocks and succeeding shipments thereafter;

2. The Program shall be responsible for safekeeping the records submitted to it through the IT data-base system developed by the Information Management Service;

3. The Program shall advocate and network with partner agencies to facilitate ease of distribution, utilization and security of yellow prescription pads

B. For the DOH-Centers for Health Development, DOH Hospitals and partner agencies

1. The Food and drug Administration (FDA) Regulatory Officers of the Centers for Health Development (CHDs) and the designated personnel by the chief of hospital shall be the persons-in-charge of the sale and distribution of the yellow prescription pads. In addition, they shall have the following functions:

a) Utilize the web-based an Information Technology (IT) database system prescribed by the Information Management Service of the Department of Health which shall secure the following information.

i. Name of Physician/dentist/Veterinarian,
ii. S2 License Number, Residential Address
iii. Hospital/Clinic/Business Address
iv. Residential and Business Telephone Numbers

b) Maintain and manage records of purchases, security of available prescription pads and confidentiality of the IT database.

c) Ensure that only physicians, dentists and veterinarians with valid S2 Licenses (duly issued by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) shall be allowed to purchase the controlled prescription pads.

d) Encode all information required by the system to help establish baseline information of Physicians, Dentists and Veterinarians allowed by law, through the issuance of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) S2 license, to handle and prescribe dangerous drug preparations.

Ensure that only a maximum of ten (10) Prescription Pad Booklets, at any given time, shall be sold to an authorized S2 License holder

e) Record serial numbers of each sold booklet in the IT database system not later than two (2) weeks from the purchase date

f) Ensure that used pads shall be returned/surrendered to any distribution site. In compliance with DDB Regulation No 3, 2003, returned pads must be made available for monitoring by PDEA Regulatory officers for a minimum of two years and should be properly kept in the facility storeroom.

g) Ensure that only professionals requiring new yellow prescription pad purchases shall only be allowed to purchase the same number of booklets returned and validated through the IT system

i) Pads shall only be released upon presentation of Payment Receipt

j) Orient first-time purchasers on the following concerns;

i.  Carbonized feature of the yellow prescription pad which will not necessitate the use of carbon paper for the second and third copies (required under Section 40 of RA 9165) and that the professional should take the precaution of placing a separator (usually a hard cardboard sheet) after each “three-copy-prescription” to avoid penetration/duplication on the other unfilled prescription pads.
ii.  Clients shall be advised on the consequences of “unnecessary prescription of dangerous drugs” as stated in Section 18 of RA 9165 which warrants a penalty of imprisonment ranging from 12 to 20 years and a fine of P100,000 to P500,000.
iii.  Likewise, “unlawful prescription of dangerous drugs” as stated in Section 19 of the same law, warrants a penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine of P500,000 to P10,000,000.

k) They shall monitor the balance of existing stock and shall inform the Office for Special Concerns of the DOH if only ten percent (10%) of the total number of booklets allocated (threshold stock) is left.

2.    Yellow Prescription Pads shall be sold at P250 per booklet.

3.    Payment for the pads shall be accepted in all DOH-CHD/Hospital Cashier’s Office and the Cashier’s Office of the DDB

4.    Hospitals shall maintain a separate recording of the income derived from the sale of yellow prescription pads for accounting purposes. Proceeds of sale shall be retained and utilized by the hospitals in accordance to existing accounting and auditing rules and regulations. Proceeds of sale from the CHDs and the DDB shall undergo the usual auditing and accounting rules and regulations.

For specific cases, the following shall be observed;

1.    The CHD FDA Officer/Hospital/DDB authorized personnel shall require the professional securing the pads to present his valid Philippine Regulatory Commission (PRC) License Identification Card and S2 License for recording purposes and for post-validation with PDEA

2.    The professional may authorize representatives to purchase the yellow pad for him but only for second time purchases and onwards, and only after validation of records from the IT system and  upon presentation of the following;

a) duly signed authorization from the concerned professional
b) Duplicate (photocopied) copy of PRC and S2 License
c) Number of surrendered booklets

3.    Purchase of yellow pad booklets as replacement for lost booklets shall only be allowed if the following conditions are met;

a) A written report is submitted to the distribution site (CHD or Hospital) within two weeks of the loss, detailing circumstances behind the incident
b) Submission of an affidavit of loss
c) Original or duplicate copy of police report (blotter)

V. REPEALING CLAUSE

All existing issuances inconsistent or contrary to the provisions of this guideline are hereby modified or repealed accordingly.

VI. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE

If any part or provision of this Guideline is held invalid or unenforceable, the other parts, sections or provisions not affected thereby shall continue to take effect.

VII.  EFFECTIVITY

This Guideline shall be effective immediately.

Adopted: 06 February 2012


(SGD) ENRIQUE T. ONA, MD
Secretary of Health