Philippine National Health Research System Act

Policy and defined concepts

Section 2 declares the State policy to protect and promote the right to health of the people, instill health consciousness, and improve the quality of life of every Filipino through health research and development initiatives.
Section 3(a) defines “Health” as a state of optimal physical, mental and social well-being and the ability to function at the individual level.
Section 3(b) defines “Health Research Stakeholders” as national and local public and private agencies/organizations, policymakers, the academe, medical and health societies, people’s organizations and others concerned with and affected by health and development.
Section 3(c) defines “National Unified Health Research Agenda” as a set of research priorities determined by the country’s stakeholders that addresses the health needs of the population vis-a-vis the health sector’s goal for universal health care, and serves as a platform to advocate for local, national and international support.
Section 3(d) defines “Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD)” as a sectoral planning council of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) that provides central direction, leadership and coordination in health science and technology (S&T).
Section 3(e) defines “Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB)” as a national policymaking body on health research ethics created under DOST Special Order No. 091, mandated to ensure that all phases of health research adhere to universal ethical principles protecting and promoting the dignity of health research participants.
Section 3(f) defines “Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS)” as a framework anchored on inclusiveness, participation, quality, equity, efficiency and effectiveness, connecting and converging with wider health, economic, political, educational and S&T systems of the country.
Section 3(g) defines “Regional Health Research Systems” as regional health research consortia or communities in all regions of the country mirroring the PNHRS framework at the regional level.
Section 3(h) defines “Research” as development of knowledge to understand health challenges and mount an improved response, covering five (5) generic areas: (1) measuring the problem; (2) understanding its cause(s); (3) elaborating solutions; (4) translating solutions/evidence into policy, practice and products; and (5) evaluating effectiveness.

Institutionalization and system objectives

Section 4 institutionalizes the Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) within the mandate of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD).
The PNHRS was initiated through a memorandum of understanding between DOST and the Department of Health (DOH) in 2003 and 2007, and is thereby institutionalized within the PCHRD mandate under Section 4.
Section 5 establishes that the PNHRS aims to improve the health status, productivity and the quality of life of Filipinos by ensuring health research is linked to health system needs.
Section 5 requires that the PNHRS ensures that investments in health research yield the most benefit.
Section 5 requires the PNHRS to promote good governance among health research organizations through an efficient, effective, transparent and ethical health research management system.
Section 5 requires national and international partnerships and networks for health research development.
Section 5 requires ensuring sustainability of resources for health research.

Structure and governance of PNHRS

Section 6 provides that the PNHRS is composed of the Governing Council (GC), Steering Committee, Technical Working Committees (TWC), and Secretariat.
Section 6 deems the whole health research community an indispensable partner and contributor to strengthening the PNHRS.
Section 6 directs that the interrelationships among PNHRS components are described in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR).
Section 7 provides that the PCHRD Governing Council created under Executive Order No. 784 (1982) and Executive Order No. 128 (1987) is the Governing Council of the PNHRS.
Section 7 sets the composition of the PNHRS Governing Council as: (a) Secretary of DOST as Chair; (b) Secretary of DOH as Co-Chair; (c) Chair of CHED; (d) Chancellor of UP Manila; (e) National Nutrition Council Executive Director; (f) PCHRD Executive Director; and (g) five (5) representatives from the private sector.
Section 8 provides that the Governing Council sets policies and directions for the PNHRS.

Governing Council powers and PNHRS agenda

Section 8 authorizes the Governing Council to periodically review and approve the long-term plans and programs of the PNHRS.
Section 8 requires the Governing Council to evaluate and approve the National Unified Health Research Agenda, and identify areas that will serve as the foci of the National Health Research Agenda.
Section 8 empowers the Governing Council to review, approve or disapprove research programs.
Section 8 authorizes the Governing Council to create committees as the need arises to facilitate and ensure achievement of its objectives.
Section 14 further requires regular monitoring and evaluation mechanisms by the Governing Council through the Secretariat to determine accountabilities of the PNHRS to contributing agencies.

PNHRS Secretariat and Steering Committee

Section 9 provides that the PCHRD Secretariat, headed by an Executive Director, serves as the PNHRS Secretariat.
Section 9 requires the Executive Director to ensure smooth implementation of programs and projects and to exercise an oversight function over the PNHRS in pursuit of such implementation.
Section 9 requires the Secretariat to provide technical and administrative support in: (a) Research and Development Management; (b) Institution Development; (c) Research Information, Communication and Utilization; and (d) Finance and Administration.
Section 10 requires the Governing Council to create a Steering Committee headed by the PCHRD Executive Director.
Section 10 sets Steering Committee members as the specified heads/directors/references from DOST-PCHRD, DOH-HPDPB, CHED-OPPRI, UPM-NIH, NEDA’s Social Development Services, PHREB, PHIC, NSO, PRC, DOTC-LTO, DENR-EMB, LGUs, and the chairpersons of relevant PNHRS TWC.
Section 10 requires the Steering Committee to: recommend policies to the Governing Council; perform oversight on implementation and harmonization of PNHRS activities and allocation of the PNHRS fund; coordinate and harmonize the activities of the six (6) PNHRS TWC; and monitor and report to the Governing Council the progress of PNHRS programs.
Section 10 ties Steering Committee oversight to the allocation of the PNHRS fund and harmonization of PNHRS activities.

Ethics oversight through PHREB and TWC

Section 11 requires the Governing Council to create Technical Working Committees (TWC) aligned with research themes based on the country’s health needs and the six (6) building blocks of the World Health Organization (WHO) to attain universal health care.
Section 11 requires each TWC to develop and monitor its respective strategic plans and to work closely with stakeholders and the Secretariat.
Section 12 provides that the PHREB, created under DOST Special Order No. 091 s. 2006, ensures adherence to universal principles for the protection of human participants in research.
Section 12 requires PHREB to formulate and update guidelines for the ethical conduct of human health research.
Section 12 requires PHREB to develop guidelines for establishment and management of ethics review committees and standardization of research ethics review.
Section 12 requires PHREB to monitor and evaluate performance of institutional ethics review committees under procedures outlined in a prior agreement.
Section 12 requires PHREB to promote establishment of functional and effective ethics review committees.
Section 12 requires PHREB to provide advice and make recommendations to the PNHRS Governing Council and other appropriate entities regarding programs, policies and regulations relating to ethical issues in human health research, and to initiate and contribute to discourses and discussions on ethical issues and network with relevant local, national and international organizations.

Regional health research consortia network

Section 13 provides that the PNHRS framework is mirrored in all regions of the country through a network of regional research consortia.
Section 13 provides that the consortium setup varies depending on the culture and resources of the region.
Section 13 requires each regional health research system to address concerns relating to the health research agenda, development of human resource in health research, conduct of researches, dissemination of research results, research utilization, resource mobilization, leadership and management.

Implementation, monitoring, and regulatory timeline

Section 14 requires monitoring and evaluation mechanisms conducted regularly by the Governing Council through the Secretariat to determine PNHRS accountabilities to contributing agencies.
Section 14 requires that specifics/details on monitoring, evaluation, accountabilities and annual reporting are provided in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR).
Section 15 requires DOST-PCHRD, DOH, CHED, and UPM-NIH to promulgate the implementing rules and regulations of this Act within sixty (60) days after effectivity.

Effectivity, separation, and repeal

Section 16 establishes separability: if any provision or part is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder remains valid and subsisting.
Section 17 provides that any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of the Act is repealed, modified or amended accordingly.
Section 18 provides that the Act takes effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in any newspaper of general circulation.