Manila: The Department of Health (DOH) has announced the suspension of the planned increase in fees for facility registration and certificates of product registration related to health products. This decision comes as a temporary halt to DOH Administrative Order (AO) 2024-0016, which was intended to adjust existing fees and introduce new charges for the registration of health products.

According to Philippines News Agency, the suspension was approved by DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa following a recommendation by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director General Paolo Teston. The suspension is set to last for 60 days and aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to enhance the ease of doing business and improve drug access.

The DOH has assured the public of its commitment to collaborating with the FDA and other concerned parties to ensure that any revised or new fees will be necessary and focused on cost recovery. Teston emphasized that any increase in regulatory fees must be justified by improvements in service delivery and operational efficiency.