Date of submission of the HTAC Recommendation: 27 January 2026
Date of notification to HTAC on the SOH decision: 07 May 2026

The Secretary of Health (SOH) concurs with the final recommendation of the HTA Council on the following drugs for their respective indications through the Department of Health (DOH) Department Circular No. 2026-0216 “Inclusion of Aflibercept, Ranibizumab, and Dexamethasone Implant in the Philippine National Drug Formulary for Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema, Macular Edema secondary to Retinal Vein Occlusion, and Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration” published on 06 May 2026:

• first-line treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)
  • Aflibercept [40mg/mL solution for intravitreal injection]
  • Ranibizumab [10 mg/mL solution for intravitreal injection]
  • Dexamethasone implant [700 mcg intravitreal implant]
• first-line treatment of Macular Edema secondary to Retinal Vein Occlusion (ME-RVO)
  • Aflibercept [40mg/mL solution for intravitreal injection]
  • Ranibizumab [10 mg/mL solution for intravitreal injection]
  • Dexamethasone [700 mcg intravitreal implant]
• first-line treatment of wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wAMD)
  • Aflibercept [40mg/mL solution for intravitreal injection]
  • Ranibizumab [10 mg/mL solution for intravitreal injection]

As a final recommendation, the HTA Council recommends the government financing of the following health technologies:

1. Aflibercept [40mg/mL solution for intravitreal injection] as first-line treatment of DME, ME-RVO and wAMD; 
2. Ranibizumab [10 mg/mL solution for intravitreal injection] as first-line treatment of DME, ME-RVO and wAMD; and
3. Dexamethasone [700 mcg intravitreal implant] as an alternative treatment for DME and ME-RVO for patients contraindicated or non-responsive to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs.

For further details, please refer to the documents below: