The Department of Health has rolled out a new digital tool to help Filipinos find cheaper maintenance medicines, especially for chronic conditions like hypertension. Called Drug Price Watch, the feature is now available inside the eGovPH app and allows users to compare medicine prices across pharmacies in real time.
Drug Price Watch lets users search medicines by brand or generic name, view price differences among drugstores, and locate nearby pharmacies that carry the medicine. The DOH says the tool supports long-standing policies that promote affordable healthcare, including wider use of generic medicines.
Hypertension, or altapresyon, remains one of the most common chronic conditions in the Philippines. Doctors stress that maintenance medicines must be taken daily and without interruption. Skipping doses can raise the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage.
However, cost remains a major barrier. Many patients admit they delay or skip buying medicines when prices are high or when budgets are tight. The DOH notes that prices can vary widely between pharmacies, even for the same drug.
According to the department, choosing generic equivalents can reduce medicine costs by as much as 90 percent, while providing the same therapeutic effect as branded versions. For patients who take medicines for life, these savings can add up significantly. Drug Price Watch aims to make those cheaper options easier to find, so patients can stick to their treatment plans.
To use the feature, users need to open the eGovPH app, go to the National Government Agencies section, search for the Department of Health, and select Drug Price Watch. From there, they can enter the name of their prescribed medicine and view price comparisons, the lowest available option, and the nearest pharmacy.
Drug Price Watch is also part of the DOH’s broader digital health push. The department is gradually expanding online services, including digital medical assistance applications and plans for future electronic prescription integration.
Patients with hypertension and other chronic conditions can use Drug Price Watch to plan their monthly medicine budget better, find cheaper options nearby, and avoid skipping doses due to cost.