Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 8423)
The short title of Republic Act No. 8423 is the "Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act (TAMA) of 1997."
The State's policy is to improve the quality and delivery of health care services by developing traditional and alternative health care and integrating it into the national health care system, and to protect the intellectual property rights of indigenous societies over their traditional medicine knowledge.
The objectives include encouraging scientific research and development of traditional and alternative health care, promoting safe and effective modalities, developing training programs, formulating standards and ethical codes, protecting indigenous knowledge, and promoting these healthcare practices both nationally and internationally.
It is defined as the sum total of knowledge, skills, and practices on health care other than biomedicine used in preventing, diagnosing, and eliminating physical or mental disorders.
PITAHC is a government body corporate attached to the Department of Health tasked with accelerating the development of traditional and alternative health care in the Philippines and integrating it into the national health care delivery system.
The Board is composed of the Secretary of Health as chairman, permanent representatives from various government departments, and six appointed members representing key sectors such as physicians practicing traditional care, academics, traditional healers, biomedical practitioners, natural food industry, and environmental sector organizations.
They include planning and executing research and development, verifying and transferring technologies, providing databases, organizing training programs, formulating policies, receiving grants, coordinating networks, setting ethical codes and standards, entering contracts, and exercising corporate powers for advancing traditional and alternative health care.
Manufacturers enjoy exemptions, deductions, and other tax incentives as may be provided under the Omnibus Investment Code, as amended.
It is a fund created to finance the programs and projects of the Institute, initially allocated P50 million for the first year, increasing in subsequent years, sourced from the earnings of Duty Free Philippines, with a cap on administrative costs.
The Director General, appointed by the President for six years, supervises implementation of research and development programs, manages operations, executes contracts, enforces Board policies, submits reports and budget to the Board, and performs duties necessary for the Institute's objectives.
They refer to the legal basis by which indigenous communities protect and control their cultural knowledge and products, including traditional medicines, and have rights to compensation from authorized commercial use of such knowledge.