PMA seeks replacement of law governing medical profession

BAGAC, Bataan, Philippines – A 1959 law that governs the country’s medical profession has become obsolete and should be replaced by a new law, according to the Philippine Medical Association (PMA).

Dr. Oscar Tinio, PMA president, said Republic Act 2382, the Medical Act of 1959, no longer corresponds to the needs of the times.

Tinio said a new law would allow the Board of Medical Education and the Commission on Higher Education to constantly make changes on the curriculum.

The old law does not include “the development of other diseases” like HIV/AIDS, he added.

Tinio said the Medical Act of 1959 does not mandate doctors to undergo specialized training.

“It was only on the initiative of the PMA that specialization has become a must for doctors before they could focus on a certain field of medicine,” he said.

“Under the law, once you are licensed (as a doctor) you can do everything you want. But we don’t want it that way because without specialization, we cannot develop good standards.”

Speaking at a media seminar in Bataan, Tinio said membership in the PMA must be mandated by law, just like the Integrated Bar of the Philippines where lawyers are required to be members before they could practice their profession.

“This will help us police our ranks,” he said. “Now, we don’t even have police power.”

At present, doctors are dealt with by the Professional Regulation Commission but using the PMA’s Code of Ethics.

There are some 110,000 physicians but only 69,000 of them are members of the PMA.

Tinio said through a law, the PMA could also put a ceiling on the professional fees charged by doctors.

“We are not saying that we should control (professional fees),” he said. “But there has to be some reason to it. Many doctors now are really charging exorbitant fees.”

The seminar was organized by media organization Newsbreak and the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines. –Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star)