Bell-Kenz lawyer: Doctors as board of directors 'not unethical'

The legal counsel of Bell-Kenz Pharma Inc. on Friday maintained that having doctors among its board of directors and stakeholders is "not unethical."

“Hindi po unethical ang ganoon. Kasi kung ikaw ang doktor, wala naman sigurong masama kung ang ipre-prescribe mo or ang susuportahan mong gamot ay ‘yung pinagkakatiwalaan mo,” said Atty. Dez Perlez, legal counsel of Bell-Kenz Pharma Inc. in an interview on Saksi sa Dobol B.

(It is not unethical. If you are the doctor, there is probably nothing wrong if the medicine that you prescribe or support is the one you trust.)

Perlez also maintained that doctors under Bell-Kenz follow the rule of law.

“Kung sa tingin nila, based on their assessment, on their professional na pagtingin doon sa condition ng pasyente, puwede silang mag-recommend ng Bell-Kenz medicine,” she said.

(If they think, based on their assessment and their professional view of the patient's condition, that they can recommend Bell-Kenz medicines, they may do so.)

“Pero never silang magre-recommend ng gamot ng Bell-Kenz kung hindi naman kailangan ng pasyente. Kasi puwede ‘yung maapektuhan pa ang health ng mga pasyente. At never pong gagawin ng mga Bell-Kenz doctors po ‘yun,” she added.

(But they will never recommend Bell-Kenz medicines if a patient does not need it because it might affect their health. Bell-Kenz doctors will never do that.)

Further, Perlez said the company so far has not received complaints from doctors or individuals about its alleged unethical practices.

“So far po, wala naman po kaming nare-receive na any complaints po... doktor man or patients po against Bell-Kenz po,” she said.

(So far, we have not received any complaints from doctors or patients against Bell-Kenz.)

Previously, Senator Jinggoy Estrada alleged that Bell-Kenz recruited doctors by enticing them with “promises of exorbitant commissions and lavish incentives” in exchange for prescribing the brand.

"While it is not illegal for medical professionals to engage in business activities, it is highly unethical when a pharmaceutical company owned by doctors hires other doctors as agents and pays them commissions based on the prescriptions they give to patients," Estrada said.

Bell-Kenz Pharma Chief Executive Officer Luis Raymond Go dismissed the allegation and described it as “misinformation” during a Senate hearing held last week. 

“I unequivocally state that Bell-Kenz is a law-abiding company adhering to the rules of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), and other relevant governing bodies,” said Go.

For its part, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), through a representative at the hearing, said Bell-Kenz had a license to operate and that its products had undergone safety and efficacy checks.

Also, representatives of the Professional Regulation Commission and the Philippine Heart Center said they had yet to investigate the allegations against the company but would look more into the matter. —Jamil Santos/ VAL, GMA Integrated News