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Definitions

Medical mission — a project or program wherein health delivery care is given to the poor segments of Philippine society where medicines, ancillary procedures and professional fees are given at no cost to the patient.

Local counterpart — the Philippine counterpart sponsoring a medical mission.  It maybe a local medical society or a civic organization but in all cases, it must be a juridical entity properly listed and operating under the corporation laws of the Medical Association (PMA).

Local medical society — a Philippine medical society operating in a given geographic area and is affiliated with the Philippine Medical Association (PMA).

Specialty society — an association of Philippine physicians accredited by the PMA as the recognized association of a given specialty in medicine.

Rules and Guidelines

1. A foreign medical mission can only be conducted in a given locality with the expressed and written consent of the local medical society.

2. With the help of the Department of Health (DOH), the local medical society shall screen the patients qualified to be treated by a particular medical mission.  These medical missions must be taken as professional endeavors and not as medium for political patronage.

3. Should the foreign medical mission entail the practice of a specialty, written consent must also be given by the local specialty society.

4. A legally binding contract must be entered into between the foreign medical mission and the local counterpart.  The contract shall bind the foreigners to the following terms:

	4.1	No foreigner in training (as intern, resident, fellow or their equivalents) will perform any specialty work;
	4.2	The medical work must be done under the supervision, control and approval of the local medical society and/or the local specialty society;
	4.3	Records of the work done must be kept and copies submitted to the Department of Health (DOH), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) specialty society concerned and the Philippine Medical Association (PMA);
	4.4	All records including audio-visual documents, still pictures and their negatives are property of the Philippine counterpart and may not be used or reproduced for advertisement, solicitation or medical publication without the written and expressed approval of the local medical society, and expressed approval of the local medical society, specialty society and the local counterpart; and any intellectual output as journal publication must include the local physicians as senior authors;
	4.5	The foreign medical mission shall post a bond to cover any legal and other claims resulting from the medical mission with the amount set by the local medical society;
	4.6	Any help needed as assistants at surgery, social workers, nurse shall be filled by the local personnel unless expressly waived by the local workers;

5. The PRC shall grant special permit to practice medicine foreign physicians when the following are met:

	5.1	Applicant is a citizen of a country which grants reciprocity for Philippine physicians to practice;
	5.2	Applicant is already a trained specialist as attested to by his curriculum to the satisfaction of the Board of Medicine;
	5.3	Applicant's curriculum vitae and other supporting documents must be authenticated by the Philippine embassy/consulate;
	5.4	Applicant shall perform a SPECIFIC function for a limited period of time not exceeding 90 days which may be renewed at the discretion of the Board of Medicine;
	5.5	Applicant must submit a written report of the work performed to the Board of Medicine not later than 30 days after the termination of the work;
	5.6	Applicant must submit to the Board of Medicine his application and all supporting documents and these must be received by the Board not later than 90 days before the proposed medical mission.

6. If the facilities of the DOH are used (such as hospitals, health centers, laboratories, etc.), permission from the DOH must also be obtained;

7. At the place where medical missions are conducted, the special permit must be prominently displayed.

After approval of the foregoing guidelines by the Commission, copy of the resolution should be furnished to all agencies, government and private, schools/universities, hospitals and all concerned for their information, dissemination and compliance.

Adopted: 1 Mar. 1991

(SGD.) JULIO B. FRANCIA, JR. Commission Chairman
(SGD.) MARIANO A. MENDIETA Commission Member	(SGD.) HIPOLITA A. ORDINARIO Commission Member