TAMA LAW: A Perspective Review on its Implementation in the Philippines

Abstract

A law was passed in 1997 with the goal of enhancing the quality of medical services to the Filipinos by expanding and incorporating traditional and alternative health care into the national health care delivery system. The act is known as Republic Act No. 8423 or the "Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act (TAMA) of 1997." Over two decades old, the majority of the expected health benefits and policy implications of the act are still undefined. This perspective review aims to examine the progress of the act TAMA Law in the Philippines and identify the gaps and lapses with its implementation. In assessing the gathered literature about TAMA Law from various databases, it is organized based on Governance (Technical data for safety, legislation, administrative organization), Traditional Use and Scientific Validity, Human Resources (Education, Practitioners, Public Access to Information), Monitoring Process (Utilization, Provision, Quality Management, and Product Surveillance), and the tools for treatment (herbs, devices, medicine). Given the prevalence of traditional and alternative medicine in the Philippines, suggestions on stronger and more precise regulations for these products must be established to assure and guarantee the safety and efficiency of these products for consumers to have an additional source of health care.