09 November 2005
BFAD official avoids face-up with fellow docs
LINGAYEN – An official of the Department of Health who earlier exposed that some government doctors in Pangasinan are the top promoters of counterfeit and or fake medicines did not show up before the provincial board last Friday to substantiate his charges.
Dr. Reynaldo Jacinto, chief of the standard and regulatory office of the DOH and head of the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) regional office, was invited by the board during its regular question hour so that he can name the doctors he says are involved in the sale and distribution of counterfeit and or fake medicines.
Provincial Board Member Dionisio Villar said that because of Jacinto’s “reckless statement,” all government doctors in Pangasinan have become suspects.
Villar, chair of the provincial committee on health and sanitation, invited Jacinto to attend the board’s question hour for him to clarify issues about his allegation that doctors in various government hospitals in Pangasinan are promoting or selling counterfeit and or fake medicines to their patients.
“This is a very serious accusation as far as we are concerned. We will do everything we can so that the government doctors in this kind of illegal activity would get sanction if not disciplinary action,” Villar said.
Among the hospitals mentioned by Jacinto whose doctors are into such activity are the Region I Medical Center, Pangasinan Provincial Hospital, Western Pangasinan District Hospital and Don Amadeo Perez Memorial District Hospital.
Jacinto said that under the Generic Act, doctors can only prescribe medicines to their patients but never to dispense these to them or dictate from what pharmacy they would buy the medicines.
A report said Jacinto sent text messages informing newsmen that he did not attend the question hour because he had no travel order from his superior, Dr. Eduardo Janairo, DOH regional director.
Observers said however Jacinto really avoided facing the doctors whom he accused of wrongdoing in their profession because he lacked hard evidence yet against them on the issue.
Dr. Jackson Soriano, chief of the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital who was among those who waited for Jacinto to come, demanded a public apology from the latter for tarnishing the reputation of all government doctors in Pangasinan.
All government hospital chiefs in Pangasinan were at the SP Question Hour eager to confront Jacinto but were frustrated by his no-show act.
Dr. Reynaldo Jacinto, chief of the standard and regulatory office of the DOH and head of the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) regional office, was invited by the board during its regular question hour so that he can name the doctors he says are involved in the sale and distribution of counterfeit and or fake medicines.
Provincial Board Member Dionisio Villar said that because of Jacinto’s “reckless statement,” all government doctors in Pangasinan have become suspects.
Villar, chair of the provincial committee on health and sanitation, invited Jacinto to attend the board’s question hour for him to clarify issues about his allegation that doctors in various government hospitals in Pangasinan are promoting or selling counterfeit and or fake medicines to their patients.
“This is a very serious accusation as far as we are concerned. We will do everything we can so that the government doctors in this kind of illegal activity would get sanction if not disciplinary action,” Villar said.
Among the hospitals mentioned by Jacinto whose doctors are into such activity are the Region I Medical Center, Pangasinan Provincial Hospital, Western Pangasinan District Hospital and Don Amadeo Perez Memorial District Hospital.
Jacinto said that under the Generic Act, doctors can only prescribe medicines to their patients but never to dispense these to them or dictate from what pharmacy they would buy the medicines.
A report said Jacinto sent text messages informing newsmen that he did not attend the question hour because he had no travel order from his superior, Dr. Eduardo Janairo, DOH regional director.
Observers said however Jacinto really avoided facing the doctors whom he accused of wrongdoing in their profession because he lacked hard evidence yet against them on the issue.
Dr. Jackson Soriano, chief of the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital who was among those who waited for Jacinto to come, demanded a public apology from the latter for tarnishing the reputation of all government doctors in Pangasinan.
All government hospital chiefs in Pangasinan were at the SP Question Hour eager to confront Jacinto but were frustrated by his no-show act.
