MT LAWS: RA 5527

• Republic Act 5527, the Philippine Medical Technology Act of 1969:

  • Date of Approval: June 21, 1969
  • Final Approval by: Pres. Ferdinand Marcos
  • Sections: 32
  • Significance: required the registration of medical technologists, defined the practice of medical technology, and made all medical technologists become professionals
• Practice of Medical Technology includes services like examination of tissues, blood banking procedures, parasitic and microbiologic techniques, and clinical research involving human subjects
• Pathologist is a duly registered physician trained in methods of laboratory medicine
• Medical Technologist is a person who engages in the work of medical technology supervised by a pathologist, passed the prescribed course of training and examination
• Medical Laboratory Technician is qualified to assist medical technologists and/or qualified pathologists
• Accredited Medical Technology Training Laboratory is approved by the Department of Health
• Recognized School of Medical Technology is approved by the Commission on Higher Education and recommended by the Council of Medical Technology Education
• Council of Medical Technology Education:

  • Chairperson: Director of CHED
  • Vice-chairperson: Chairperson of the PRC
  • Members include Director of the Bureau of Health Facilities and Services, the Board of Medical Technology, representatives of Deans of Schools of Medical Technology/Public Health, President of the Philippine Society of Pathologists, and President of PAMET
• Functions of the Council include recommending the minimum required curriculum for the course of medical technology, determining and prescribing the number of students per school, approving medical technology schools meeting requirements, inspecting different medical technology schools, certifying admission into internship, formulating/recommending approval of refresher courses, and enforcing necessary rules and regulations
• Minimum required course for Medical Technology is a 4-year course with a 12-month internship in accredited laboratories
• Medical Technology Board/Board of Examiners:

  • Chairperson: 1 Pathologist
  • Members: 2 Medical Technologists recommended by the PRC and appointed by the President
  • Term: 3 years
• Qualifications of Examiners include being a Filipino citizen, having good moral character, being a qualified Pathologist/RMT with at least 10 years of experience, and not being a faculty of any institution for at least 2 years prior to appointment
• Functions/Duties of the Board include administering the provisions of the Act, administering oaths, issuing, suspending, and revoking Certificates of Registration, investigating violations, drafting rules/regulations, determining staff adequacy in clinical laboratories, and prescribing qualifications/training for medical technologists and technical staff in clinical laboratories
• Removal of Board Members can be done by the President due to neglect of duty, incompetency, malpractice, or unprofessional, unethical, immoral, and dishonorable conduct
• Accreditation of Schools of Medical Technology and Training Laboratories involves recommendations by the Council, approval by CHED for schools, and approval by BHFS for training labs, requiring qualified personnel and proper equipment
• Inhibition against the practice of Medical Technology states that without a Certificate of Registration, no practice is allowed, with exceptions for physicians, medical technologists from other countries called in for consultation/teaching, and MT in the USAF
• Examination locations include Manila, Cebu, Davao, and additional locations like Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Koronadal, Legazpi, Lucena, Pampanga, Rosales, and Tacloban
• Exceptions to the rule of no COR, no practice:

  • Physicians
  • Medical technologists from other countries called in for consultation/teaching
  • MT in the USAF
• Examination locations: Manila, Cebu, Davao (2022: Bagiuo, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Koronadal, Legazpi, Lucena, Pampanga, Rosales, Tacloban, Tuguegarao, Zamboanga)

  • Exam periods: August/September, February/March
  • Examination details must be published in 3 newspapers by the Board Secretary at least 30 days before the examination
• Qualifications for examination:

  • Good health / good moral character
  • Finished BSMT (BMLS/BSMLS) or BSPH
• Scope of examination:

  • Clinical Chemistry 20%
  • Microbiology / Parasitology 20%
  • Clinical Microscopy 10%
  • Hematology 20%
  • Immunology-Serology / Blood Banking & Serology 20%
  • Histopathology / MT Laws/Lab Management 10%
  • Schedule of subjects must be submitted to PRC at least 30 days before the exam
  • Any amendment must be approved by PRC and published at least 3 months prior to the exam date
• Report of rating:

  • Within 120 days (now: 3 days)
  • Board of Examiners > PRC > President
• Rating in the examination requirements:

  • General rating of at least 75%
  • No grade below 50% in any subject
  • Not failed in 60% of the subject
  • A 12-month refresher course is required if failed thrice
• Oath taking:

  • Required
  • Oath before the Board or to any authorized person
• Issuance of Certificate of Registration:

  • Given if the applicant is 21 years old
  • Certificate must be displayed in the workplace
• Fees:

  • Php 50 for application for exam/registration
  • Php 10 for lost, mutilated, or destroyed CORs
• Refusal to issue certificate reasons:

  • Guilt of a criminal offense involving moral turpitude
  • Guilty of immoral/dishonorable conduct
  • Of unsound mind
  • Has an incurable and communicable disease
• Administrative investigation details:

  • Investigators: 2 Board members + 1 legal officer
  • Causes: violation of Sections 23 and 29, unprofessional conduct, malpractice, incompetence, serious ignorance, gross negligence
  • Revocation: unanimous decision
  • Suspension: majority decision (<2 years suspension)
  • Surrender COR within 30 days (suspension time will start from date of surrender)
  • Failure to surrender COR leads to perpetual disqualification from the practice of medical technology
• Appeal process:

  • The PRC Chair's decision is final after 30 days of promulgation
  • Last resort: appeal to the President
• Reinstatement, reissue or replacement of certificate:

  • The Board may reissue any revoked CORs
  • Reissue of suspended CORs is effective after the period given
• Foreign reciprocity:

  • Professional rights between countries
• Roster of Medical Technologist:

  • Prepared by the Secretary of the Board
  • Contains the name, address, and citizenship of each MT
  • Date of registration/issuance of COR
  • Open to the public
• Penal provisions:

  • Fine: Php 2000-5000
  • Imprisonment: 6 months to 2 years
  • Offenses include practicing without being registered, practicing without supervision of a physician, knowingly making a fraudulent lab report, refusal/failure to display COR after due warning, using another's COR, presenting false evidence to the Board when obtaining COR, impersonating any registrant, using revoked/suspended COR, conveying that one is a MT without a valid COR, employing non-licensed MT, violating the rules and regulations of the Board