Paracetamol is not a vitamin or a food supplement that needs to be acquired in large quantities.
This was the reminder of senatorial aspirant Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar as he appealed to the public to refrain from hoarding the medicine which is commonly used ot treat headache and fever.
Eleazar issued the statement after household medicines such as paracetamol were apparently scarce in some drugstores as the flu season coincided with the rapid surge of COVID-19 cases in the country.
The Department of Health clarified that there is no shortage of paracetamol in the country but people, especially from Metro Manila, have been experiencing supply shortage since Monday, Jan 3. The shortage of paracetamol has been the subject of comments and memes in the social media.
“Kalimitang dahilan ng shortage ng supply ay panic buying at pagho-hoard ng ilang mga grupo at indibidwal. Sa ating mga kababayan naman, huwag naman nating gawing arang vitamins ang paracetamol at sa halip ay maging sensitibo sa mga taong mas nangangailangan nito (The usual reason of shortge is hoarding. To our kababayan, lease do not treat paracetamol as a vitamins that need to be bought in large quantity. Let us be sensitive to the people who need them most),” said Eleazar.
By virtue of a department circular, the Department of Health prohibits the hoarding of drugs and medicines as well as profiteering, illegal combination, formation of cartels, and all other acts committed in restraint of trade in COVID-19 response.
These acts are considered illegal and punishable under Section 24 of Republic Act 9502 or the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008.
Any person or entity who violates this law could be imprisoned for five to 15 years or be meted a fine of P100,000 to P10 million.
Further, Eleazar called on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to ensure that there are enough supplies of flu medicines in drugstores.
The Partido Reporma candidate also urged law enforcers to be vigilant and monitor if there are incidents of hoarding of such medicines. He also asked the public to inform authorities if they have learned of any hoarding incidents in their areas.