By MAE LORRAINE S. RAFOLS
Herbal and traditional medicine received extra-leverage in the market recently when ABS Gen Herbs International Corporation, makers of the local ampalaya-based food supplement ABS Bitter Herbs, and the Philippine Herbal Health Care Association, tapped the popular former DoH Secretary-Senator, Juan Flavier, as the new envoy for herbal-based products.
A believer of traditional medicine, Senator Flavier authored the highly-debated Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act (TAMA), which pushes for the more focused study on the benefits of flora resources.
During the first Philippine herbal health forum with the theme, "Sakit? Halamang gamot, natural na sagot!" held recently at PG Tower in Diliman, the senator stressed that herbal medication should be given a more serious recognition by the medical community. He said that intake of plants and vegetables like ampalaya (known for its therapeutic results) has been tested to have no adverse effects on the body, and is therefore enough reason to consider its medical potentials.
The senator also lamented the difficulty of passing his bill. However, the senator is optimistic that herbal and traditional medicine will open a cheaper yet effective option for people searching a cure for their ailments.
"Testimonials from those who benefited from plant-based medicines shouldn’t be taken lightly, and these could be used as basis for a more thorough research on the efficiency of traditional medicines," Sen. Flavier added.
The senator also said that people should consider the benefits of herbal medicine to encourage more studies and discoveries on other plants that have therapeutic effects.
Sen. Flavier will publicly endorse herbal medicine in a 30-second commercial showing him promoting the line, "Mag-gulay para humaba ang buhay. Let’s do it."
Other forum speakers of the event were Dr. Carmencita Yap, Philippine College for the Advancement of Medicine (PCAM) president; Dr. Cirilo Galindez of PCAM; Jaime Dy-Liacco, director of the Philippine Institute for Traditional and Alternative Medicine (PITAHC); and Josephine Sarau, chief product services division, Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD).
Dr. Yap said that PCAM is pushing for the inclusion of the study of herbal medicines in medical universities and institutions to further strengthen its ground for medical claim. She also clarified that they are not pushing herbal medicines to replace western medicine, but that they only want people to know alternative means of treatment.
And despite the herbal industry’s difficulty in trying to penetrate the country’s very modern market, Sarau stressed that BFAD (the governing body that certifies the safety of food and drugs sold to the public) is open to registering traditional medicines into their certified list, citing Administrative Order no. 42 series of 1982. These are usually traditional medicines with therapeutic claims that have been time-tested and proven to have no adverse effects.
