Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral said Saturday she wants more non-generic medicines available to Filipinos.

After announcing the new round of price cuts for at least 97 types of drugs last week, Cabral said she is now studying the possibility of asking for a voluntary price reduction on non-generic drugs.

“Siguro ang dapat naman natin tutukan ngayon ay yung walang generic version dahil ito talaga yung mas mahal (We will now focus on non-generic drugs because these are the most expensive),’’ Cabral said in an interview.

“I am just waiting for the impact study on the previous price reduction on 41 drugs,’’ she added.

The voluntary price cut on 97 drugs takes effect on March 31. Among these medicines are those for hypertension and chronic diseases, bladder and prostate disorders, hepatitis, asthma, depression, and psychotic and mental disorders, as well as some medical equipment and fluids for dialysis.

Cabral said that 11 local drug companies have agreed to lower by 50 percent the cost of these medicines.

The price reduction, she said will translate to about P2 billion worth of consumer savings on these drugs.

Pharmaceutical firms volunteered to lower prices of essential drugs as a prerequisite to the Cheaper Medicines Law, which allows the government to impose a maximum drug retail price (MDRP) equivalent to a 50-percent cut on five essential medicines.

The Department of Health (DoH) had earlier attributed the exorbitant prices of medicines in the country to drug monopoly.

The health chief said it is laudable for drugstore owners to themselves lower the prices of their medicines, instead of being issued another directive by the President.

In August this year, drug companies also lowered by half some 41 drugs, six of which were under the MDRP.