(NAR) VOL. 6 NO. 2 / APRIL - JUNE 1995
Rule V (D) states: "A senior citizen is entitled to a minimum of twenty percent (20%) discount in the purchase of medicine for his personal use and according to his personal needs."
For better monitoring and control, each individual senior citizen should have the aforementioned purchase slip booklet on which his record of availment of this discount privilege shall be reflected. This purchase slip booklet shall be made available beginning September 1994 through the local OSCA on a voluntary basis in order for all parties concerned to be familiar with it. Beginning January 1, 1995, its use by Senior Citizens shall be mandatory. This purchase slip booklet should be presented by the Senior Citizen or his authorized agent to the Drugstore together with his OSCA Identification Card.
All the usual details required in the doctor's prescription must be indicated such as the name of the doctor, his PTR number, patient's name, generic name of the medicine prescribed, etc.
Only complete prescriptions which comply fully with the Generics Law shall be honored.
Senior Citizens who cannot afford the consultation fee of a private doctor could consult at their government health center/hospital and get a prescription free of charge.
For this purpose, drugstores are required to maintain only one special record book registered and subject to inspection by both the BFAD and BIR.
These discount privileges shall be non-transferable and limited and exclusive for the benefit of the senior citizen.
The provisions of this revised BFAD Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 7432 shall supersede all previous circulars on the same subject matter.
All drug outlets including drugstores, hospital pharmacies (government or private) or retail outlets for non-prescription drugs are enjoined to comply with the above-cited rule and all FDRO's are instructed to report non-compliance if evidence of such commission or omission shall so warrant.
This BFAD Circular shall take effect 15 days after its publication in a national newspaper.
Adopted: 16 Sept. 1994
(SGD.) QUINTIN L. KINTANAR, M.D., PH. D., CESO I
Director