黑料社

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Medical practitioners 鈥渃onniving鈥� with pharmaceutical companies to prescribe medicines allegedly receive at least eight percent of rebates, amounting to around P2 million, based on their monthly productivity.

In a privilege speech delivered during the Senate鈥檚 Monday plenary session, Senator Jinggoy Estrada detailed the controversial 鈥渕ulti-level marketing scheme鈥� between some physicians and Bell-Kenz Pharma Inc.

READ: Senate reso on probe into alleged doctor 鈥� pharma collusion filed

Jedis and Padawans

According to Estrada, the doctors behind Bell-Kenz鈥檚 core group are called Jedis because the firm鈥檚 owners are Star Wars fans.

鈥淣ot everybody can be part of this group. Only doctors who are recommended by a Jedi and all other Jedis will be accepted. If there鈥檚 one Jedi who disapproves of a particular doctor for whatever reason, that doctor cannot be a Jedi,鈥� said Estrada.

鈥淭hey do this approval process via the Jedi Viber group. The reason why a Jedi recommends a doctor is mostly based on friendship, practice, and influence,鈥� he added.

But the road to becoming a Jedi is not easy.

Estrada said individuals interested in becoming Jedi undergo a 鈥渘urturing lecture鈥� conducted by Bell-Kenz鈥檚 president himself.

鈥淭he objective of this lecture is to teach doctors financial freedom and that Bell-Kenz is the only pharmaceutical company that can make it possible,鈥� said Estrada, adding that the 鈥減roductivity鈥� of these doctors is regularly monitored.

In addition, the senator said interested physicians need to prescribe Bell-Kenz鈥檚 medicines and supplements to become Jedi. The entry-level investment allegedly costs around P250,000 to P500,000.

Once they become Jedis, they can supposedly benefit from the following:

• Eight percent rebates based on monthly productivity (usually around P2 million). These are convertible to cash, luxury cars, and other expensive items.
• Milestone points where one point is earned from the minimum P2,700 worth of prescribed brand sales. Earned points, on the other hand, can be used for redemption of items such as gadgets, household items, or foreign travel. One point is equivalent to one hundred pesos (P100).
• Yearly performance bonus based on the percentage of the total contributions of the sales of Jedis against all of the Jedis
• Dividends and growth of sales, which is based on the total number of shares the doctor holds
• Annual 鈥淛edi star tour,鈥� depending if a certain doctor hits the goal of 3.5 percent productivity target

But how about the Padawans? Estrada said these are 鈥渟econd investors.鈥�

鈥淚n the fictional universe of the Star Wars films, a Padawan is a Jedi apprentice. They do not have downline doctors. Padawans are entitled to receive dividends, rebates and earn milestone points,鈥� he explained.

Estrada said Bell-Kenz鈥檚 popularity led the firm鈥檚 earnings to skyrocket.

鈥淔rom a P1 billion profit in 2016, it increased to P3.2 billion in 2018, and it even climbed to P5 billion in 2019,鈥� he added.

Unethical, unacceptable

Estrada expressed alarm over the alleged scheme, noting that it not only 鈥渉urts the credibility and integrity of the medical profession鈥� but it also 鈥渦ndermines public trust in healthcare.鈥�

鈥淲e cannot allow this unethical conduct to continue. It is our responsibility to denounce and eradicate such practices. It is saddening that while we are pushing for affordable medicines for our poor countrymen through the Senior Citizens Act, RA 10754 or the law expanding the benefits of PWDs, and others 鈥� there are doctors that are adding to the burden of our people,鈥� said Estrada.

READ: Drug firm in Senate probe denies 鈥榩yramiding鈥� accusations

For Estrada, it may already be time for the Philippines to come up with a 鈥渓egislation similar to the United States鈥� called the Anti-Kickback Statute.

鈥淸It is a] criminal law that prohibits the knowing and willful payment of remuneration to induce or reward patient referrals or the generation of business involving any item or service payable by the Federal healthcare programs,鈥� he said.

Prior to Estrada鈥檚 expos茅, Sen. Raffy Tulfo already disclosed that some physicians are enjoying pharmaceutical-sponsored junkets. He said these illegal and controversial schemes are the reason why branded medicines are mostly being prescribed by physicians.

搁贰础顿:听Tulfo wants ban, recall of 鈥榠neffective鈥� generic medicines

Meanwhile, Sen. JV Ejercito has filed a resolution seeking an investigation on the potential 鈥渧iolation of ethical standards of medical practices鈥� amid the alleged conniving between some doctors and pharmaceutical companies.

鈥淲e need to probe this issue, so that the people鈥檚 trust in our doctors will remain solid,鈥� said Ejercito during Monday鈥檚 plenary session.

Ejercito pointed out that the controversy raises several 鈥渆thical, legal, and policy questions.鈥�

鈥淔irst, it contravenes many regulations and protocols meant to insulate doctors from undue influence. Second, what are its effects on the cost of our healthcare?鈥� Ejercito wondered.