Amending Sections Two, Three, Four, Seven, Eight, Eleven, Thirteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Twenty-One And Twenty-Nine Of Republic Act No. 5527, Also Known As The Philippine Medical Technology

Case Overview and Summary

Summary of Presidential Decree No. 498

Definition of Terms (Section 2):
- Defines the practice of medical technology, including various laboratory procedures, blood banking, clinical research, reagent preparation, quality control, and specimen collection. (Section 2a)
- Defines a medical laboratory technician as someone certified to assist a medical technologist. (Section 2d)

Council of Medical Technology Education (Section 3):
- Establishes a Council of Medical Technology Education composed of representatives from various government agencies and private institutions. (Section 3)
- Council members are entitled to per diem and travel expenses for attending meetings. The Chairman receives ₱50, and members receive ₱25 per meeting attended. (Section 4)

Medical Technology Board (Section 7):
- Creates a Medical Technology Board under the Professional Regulation Commission, consisting of a pathologist as Chairman and two registered medical technologists as members. (Section 7)
- Board members are appointed by the President for three-year terms. (Section 7)

Qualifications of Board Members (Section 8):
- Board members must be registered medical technologists with a Bachelor's degree in Medical Technology/Hygiene/Public Health. (Section 8.3)
- Board members cannot be faculty members of any medical technology school for at least two years prior to appointment or have any pecuniary interest in such institutions. (Section 8.5)

Powers and Duties of the Board (Section 11):
- The Board can issue, suspend, and revoke certificates of registration for medical technologists and laboratory technicians. (Section 11c)
- The Board determines the adequacy of technical staff in clinical laboratories and blood banks before licensing by the Department of Health. (Section 11g)
- The Board prescribes qualifications and training for medical technologists in specialized fields and supervises their specialty examinations. (Section 11h)
- The Board classifies and prescribes qualifications and training for technical staff in clinical laboratories, such as Chief Medical Technologist, Senior Medical Technologist, Medical Technologist, and Medical Laboratory Technician. (Section 11i)

Accreditation of Schools and Training Laboratories (Section 13):
- The Department of Education and Culture approves schools of medical technology upon the Board's recommendation. (Section 13)
- The Professional Regulation Commission approves training laboratories for medical technology students and postgraduate trainees upon the Board's recommendation, ensuring qualified personnel and proper equipment. (Section 13)

Qualifications for Examination (Section 16):
- Applicants must have completed a four-year course leading to a Bachelor's degree in Medical Technology or Public Health from a recognized institution. (Section 16b)
- Applicants who graduated from another profession and have been performing medical technology for the last five years prior to the examination date, if such performance began before June 21, 1969, are also eligible. (Section 16b)

Scope of Examination (Section 17):
- The examination covers Clinical Chemistry (20%), Microbiology & Parasitology (20%), Hematology (20%), Blood Banking & Serology (20%), Clinical Microscopy (10%), and Histopathologic Techniques, Cytotechnology, Medical Technology Laws, Related Laws, and Code of Ethics (10%). (Section 17)
- The Board can change, add, or remove subjects or weights as progress in medical technology requires, subject to the Professional Regulation Commission's approval and publication at least three months before the examination date. (Section 17)

Issuance of Certificate of Registration (Section 21):
- Successful examination applicants who are at least 21 years old will be issued a certificate of registration as a medical technologist, signed by the Board members and the Commissioner of the Professional Regulation Commission. (Section 21)
- Registered medical technologists must display their certificate at their workplace. (Section 21)
- The Board can issue a certificate of registration as a medical technologist without examination to:
- Graduates of Bachelor's degrees in Medical Technology/Public Health from recognized schools in the Philippines or foreign countries with substantially the same standards, who have practiced medical technology for at least three years prior to application in accredited laboratories, or if such performance began before June 21, 1969. (Section 21)
- Graduates from other professions who have been performing medical technology for at least eight years prior to application, if such performance began before June 21, 1969. (Section 21)
- The Board can issue a certificate of registration as a medical laboratory technician without examination to:
- Those who passed the civil service examination for medical technician on March 21, 1964. (Section 21)
- Those who finished a two-year college course and have at least one year of experience as a medical laboratory technician, or for every year of deficiency in college attainment, two years of experience may be substituted. (Section 21)
- Those who have at least ten years of experience as a medical laboratory technician as of the date of approval of this Decree, regardless of academic attainment. (Section 21)
- Those who failed the medical technology board examination but obtained a general rating of at least 70%. (Section 21)
- Registered medical laboratory technicians employed in the government shall have an equivalent civil service eligibility not lower than second grade. (Section 21)

Penalties (Section 29):
- Any person or corporate body who allows someone not registered as a medical technologist/laboratory technician to engage in the practice of medical technology or recommends an unregistered person for appointment to such positions will be penalized. (Section 29j)