ADVISORY

First Quarter Update of the Philippine Essential Medical Devices List (PEMDL)

Section 28 of the Republic Act 11223, otherwise known as the Universal Health Care Act mandated the government to institute strategies that will ensure the availability, accessibility, and affordability of medical devices such as developing price reference indices for medical devices; ensuring consumers’ choice through price transparency; central price negotiation; and regulation of mark-ups particularly in government hospitals.

The Administrative Order No. 2021-0038 entitled Framework for the Philippine Essential Medical Devices List and Price Reference Index provided the national framework for developing the Philippines Essential Medical Device List (PEMDL) and set the scope to include all Department of Health (DOH) offices/bureaus, Centers for Health Development (CHDs), and all health care facilities and their practitioners under the DOH procuring and/or utilizing medical devices, supplies, and equipment. The PEMDL is a compilation of essential medical devices considered as important or necessary for the preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, or rehabilitative procedures carried out in government health facilities.

Last November 2022, the DOH launched the initial version of the PEMDL containing 307 common and routine use essential medical devices that are vital to be available and affordable to the government for public financing. The PEMDL was created to guide in the procurement of medical devices and set the priority medical device list with its corresponding price reference index for procurement to reduce the variations in the prices of medical devices in the public sector.

As of April 2023, the DOH has released an additional 34 essential medical devices devices included in the PEMDL. The full list may be accessed at https://pemdl.doh.gov.ph/

Should you have any questions, you may coordinate with the Medical Device Unit through [email protected] or at contact number (02) 8651-7800 loc 8103.