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Is it Really Medicine? The Traditional and Alternative Medicine law and Informal Healthcare Economy in the Philippines
Roger Lee Mendoza*
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: profdrmendoza{at}yahoo.com.
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Abstract |
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This article examines one developing country’s (Philippines) experience in legalizing the age-old but controversial practice and use of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine (TCAM). The case studies in this article shed light on the problems, challenges, and opportunities offered by herbal therapies, natural products, and alternative healing methods, and the policy context in which they exist. The study finds that normative, axiological, and ethical considerations underlie the legitimacy of TCAM. These become critical when the scientific basis or validity of a therapy, product, or modality is at issue and political consensus is not readily available. The study suggests that both the objective and subjective aspects of TCAM be carefully evaluated in the process of integrating the informal and formal health care systems in developing countries. That, in turn, would require proactive regulatory and development-oriented roles on the part of their governments.
First published on June 5, 2009, doi:10.1177/1010539509336570
Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health 2009;21:333.
A more recent version of this article appeared on July 1, 2009
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