Government support will play a key role if the Philippines will be able to fully utilize the potential of forest materials as a source of medicinal products.
If not, Filipinos could end up wasting these gifts from nature, as other nations have actually beaten the Philippines in the patents race.
Former Health Secretary Jaime Galvez-Tan aired this appeal during the recent Kamayan para sa Kalikasan Forum.
“Only 10 medicinal plants have been promoted by Department of Health since 1993 and Philippine Institute for Traditional and Alternative Health Care [PITAHC] since 1997. It’s such a waste,” said Tan on the subject Forests as Pharmacy.
“If the leadership of the health sector does not show any trust in medicinal plants, people won’t get to use more medicinal plants,” Tan added.
The Philippines is home to 1,500 medicinal plants from 13,500 plant species, 3,500 of which are considered indigenous, yet only 120 medicinal plants or 12.5 percent have been scientifically validated for safety and efficacy, the former Health chief explained.
“For example, the lowly Malunggay has glutathione, and is better than broccoli. Siling labuyo (chili pepper), with its anti-inflammatory properties, is good for weight loss as it increases metabolism. Yet, only Filipinos believe that eating nuts, beans and legumes can cause arthritis. The result is that many Filipinos end up being anemic, even malnourished because we lose the benefits of eating nutritious foods,” he said.
Tan, who served as Health secretary in 1995 and as undersecretary and chief of staff at the DOH from 1992-94, also called for the public to patronize local materials instead of the imported variety.
“For example, go coconut cider instead of apple cider,” he said.
Tan also bewailed that foreigners have “stolen” from locals the opportunity to patent the potential of medicinal plants.
“The French have been quick to patent the medicinal value of a number of Philippine plants. Now they own the rights to those medicinal plant products which they first encountered here in the Philippines,” he noted.
“Schools should be geared to absorb or support local, herb-based medicines instead of synthetic-based drugs. But for us to be able to realize that, we need more investigators on local medicinal plants. More research is needed to prove the efficacy of these gifts from nature,” Tan pointed out.
Dr. Francis Wade Gomez, president and CEO of New Marketlink Pharmaceutical Corp., echoed support for Tan’s appeal.
Using the case of lagundi products as a cure for cough and asthma, Gomez cited the need to improve the public’s perception and appreciation for herbal medicine brands.
“We need to include herbal medicine concepts in formal discussions can help promote awareness among the public,” Gomez explained.
He also called for improved support from the big pharmaceutical companies to adopt herbal technology and supplements as this move will be beneficial for both the public and business.
“Philippine herbal medicines need government support because of the expense that goes into commercializing even one product,” said Gomez.
Liberty Talastas Bituin, a representative of Cordillera Indigenous Peoples’ group, shared her community’s experiences about the food and healing that they have been using from the forest.
“We should never forget our roots. Let us create our own pharmacies by protecting and planting medicinal plants,” Bituin said as she lamented that forests are being decimated for what others call “development”.
The Philippines is a mega-diverse country where many plants species await to be discovered as a source of medicinal materials, she said. Pharmaceutical companies have made it more convenient for the public to enjoy the benefits from natural remedies, Bituin added.