Pfizer made it!

The Legislative body is accusing multi-national pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer of attempting to bribe the Philippine President with five million discount cards that would be distributed to needy patients across the country.

According to lawmakers, this was a move to prevent the President from signing a law that would cut drug prices in half.

But executive director of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) Reiner Gloor defends Pfizer, saying that it was not a bribe.

The Department of Health (DOH) also got the same offer from the company.

Both the President and DOH did not accept Pfizer's offer. (Aforementioned information are from this article from Inquirer.net)

Affordable and accessible health programs have always been an issue here on our shores.

When my dad got hospitalized last year, we had to pay a whopping amount for his month long stay. And that was the PGH, a government-owned hospital.

Clusivol's ads keep repeating that in this day and age, getting sick is not affordable. How true.

I never quite understood why drugs that are meant to save lives are very expensive.

If indeed it's true that the government did not accept the bribe and that they'll be cutting drug costs in half, then kudos to them.

But health is not just about drug costs, I wonder what the next government will do regarding hospital bills.