Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito proposed a measure seeking to regulate and modernize the practice of medical technology in the Philippines.
Senate Bill No. 2007, or the Philippine Medical Technology Act of 2023, aims to create a Professional Regulatory Board of Medical Technology with one Chairperson and two members, all of whom are registered medical technologists who have completed the Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology/ Medical Laboratory Science.
"Health and Information technology have evolved rapidly, lifestyles have become complex, and national and global competition have rendered the law obsolete and in need of revision to properly address the existing and evolving demands of the medical technology profession," the explanatory note read.
Ejercito also underlined that the Republic Act No. 5527, or the Medical Technology Act of 1969, has not been amended and revised since 54 years enacted.
The formed Professional Regulatory Board of Medical Technology has the following duties and functions:
- Regulate the practice of the profession in the accordance with professional regulatory law;
- Determine and prepare the questions for the licensure examination for medical technologists;
- Issue, suspend or revoke Certificates of Registration and Special Temporary Permits of medical technologists, phlebotomists, and medical laboratory technicians;
- Look into conditions affecting the practice of medical technology in the Philippines and, whenever necessary, adopt such measures as may be deemed proper for the maintenance of good ethics and standards in the practice of medical technology;
- Investigate violations of this Act or the rules and regulations issue hereunder. For this purpose, the Board may issue subpoenas duces tecum;
- Prescribe the qualifications and training of medical technologists with regard to special fields of the profession and to supervise their special examination to be conducted by the Commission;
- Formulate and recommend the approval refresher courses for applicants who failed to pass the Board Examinations for the third time;
- Prescribe and promulgate the Code of Ethics and Code of Professional Standards for the Practice of Medical Technology, in consultation with the APO.
The bill also includes updating the scope of practice to include molecular and cytogenetic technologies, drug testing, phlebotomy and teaching, training and supervising students in Medical Technology Education Program, upgrading the minimum base pay of entry-level Registered Medical Technologists, and improving the practice of medical technology and ensure the global competitiveness of the profession.
