The government issued a memorandum limiting purchases of medicine for symptomatic treatment , including paracetamol, despite its claim there is no shortage.

"The Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued a joint memorandum imposing purchase limit or cap in paracetamol, carbocisteine, and others," Acting Presidential Spokesman Karlo Nograles said during the Palace briefing on Tuesday.

Nograles said based on the joint memorandum every consumer is only allowed to buy a certain number of medicines every transaction.

He said every consumer is only allowed to purchase 20 tablets of 500 milligram of Paracetamol while 60 pieces are allowed per household.

"The joint memorandum also prohibits the online selling of these medicines, unless otherwise permitted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)," he said.

It can be recalled that during the ''Laging Handa'' virtual public briefing interview on Monday, Trade and Industry consumer protection group assistant secretary Ann Claire Cabochan reiterated that there was no supply shortage and the medicine just went out of stock due to sudden increase in demand in the previous month.

She said the supply of the medicine for symptomatic treatment is expected to normalize "over the weekend". Robina Asido/DMS