Question & AnswerQ&A (PITAHC)
The guidelines are officially known as the PITAHC Guidelines on the National Certification of Acupuncturists and Accreditation of Acupuncture Training Programs, Training Centers and Clinics.
The policy of the State is to improve the quality and delivery of health care services through the development of traditional and alternative health care and its integration into the national health care delivery system.
The guidelines apply to Accreditation of Training Programs, Training Centers for Acupuncture, Accreditation of Acupuncture Clinics, and National Certification of Acupuncturists.
It is the sum total of knowledge, skills, and practices other than those embodied in biomedicine, used in the prevention, diagnosis, and elimination of physical or mental disorders.
A CA must complete specific acupuncture training and supervised practicum hours focused on non-medical acupuncture, while a CMA is a licensed physician who has undergone more extensive acupuncture training, including clinical practice as a medical acupuncturist.
Grounds include falsification of documents, failure to maintain accreditation standards, and for clinics, illegal and immoral activities.
For a Training Center, the certificate is valid for one year initially and renewable for three years thereafter, while for Acupuncture Clinics, it is valid for three years.
Acupuncture Training Centers face a penalty of five hundred pesos per year, while Acupuncture Clinics face a penalty of one thousand pesos per year for non-renewal.
They must have a Training Officer/trainer who has passed the PITAHC Training of Trainers Competency Assessment.
The committee is chaired by the PITAHC Director-General and includes representatives from PITAHC divisions and sectors such as government, private acupuncture practitioners, training centers, and community-based health programs. Their role is to develop assessments, accredit programs and clinics, certify practitioners, and uphold ethical standards among other duties.