Medical Pluralism

Medical pluralism can be defined as the employment of more than one medical system or the use of both conventional and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for health and illness. According to Nazrul (2005), pluralism and the co-existence of a variety of different medical systems within chosen context are common features in various settings. The popularity of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) raises a range of ethical issues for practicing clinicians. Principles of biomedical ethics define obligations of health care professionals, but applying principles in particular cases at the interface of CAM and biomedicine may be particularly challenging (Tilburt and Miller, 2007). How do the different systems or practices interact? Is it correct to develop an integrated health system (combining both biomedical and alternative medicines) within the national system in a medically pluralist society?

Over the last decades, awareness has increased about the phenomenon of medical pluralism and the importance to integrate biomedicine and other forms of health care. Considerable debate has arisen about ethical problems related to the growing use of CAM in industrialized countries (Marian, 2007).

The “geography of health care system” in the Philippines is just one super continent of biomedicine surrounded by islands of indigenous forms of healing. Traditional medicine is not properly documented in the country (Lasco, 2018), it is disorganized and minute in scope, in so far as professional practice is concerned. It is being practiced by the folk healers, thus, inevitably intersects with biomedical practice at the level of individual patients, families and communities.

In the advent of the practice of integrative medicine, there is a need to promote medical pluralism in the Philippines. Thus, this international conference is necessary to provide an avenue to discuss the status, issues, and challenges on the use complementary medicine in Asia and the Pacific.

Objectives

The 3rd International Conference on Medical Pluralism aims to discuss the status, issues and challenges on the use of complementary medicine in Asia and the Pacific. Specifically, the conference aims to:

  1. provide an avenue for the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and experiences in the practice of complementary medicine, indigenous healing practices, naturopathy and green medicine;
  2. gather experts, practitioners, researchers, and other related parties to discuss the status, different issues and challenges in the practice of alternative medicines in the region;
  3. increase the awareness to people on the practice of complementary medicine, indigenous healing practices, naturopathy and green medicine; and
  4. develop partnerships between and among government and private organizations related to complementary medicines.

Program of Activities

The conference will be highlighted by the following activities:

  1. plenary talks about Complementary Medicine in Asia: Status, Issues and Challenges
  2. paper presentations about Traditional Medicine Social Acceptance, Tribal or Indigenous Healing Practices, Naturopathy, and Green Medicine
  3. meetings and consultation among the participating agencies, and
  4. tour to a plantation of herbal plants and a Manufacturing Plant of Herbal Medicine

Expected Output

It is expected that the conference will provide an increased knowledge on medical pluralism for all of its participants, increased number of partnership between and among government and non-government organizations, and increased number of publication on medical pluralism. This activity is also envisioned to offer a sustainable practice of alternative medicine in the Philippines; strong network of practitioners, enthusiasts, advocates, and researchers of alternative medicines from research institutes, hospitals, medical schools, SUCs and other organizations; engagement of people to conduct researches on alternative medicines; and operationalization of the Cavite State University (CvSU) Farmacy: A Plantation of Herbs and Spices, as one of the components of the CvSU Agri-Eco-Tourism Park.

Target Participants

The 3rd International Conference on Medical Pluralism aims to involve the following group of people from various organizations:

  1. Experts, researchers, faculty members, medical practitioners, students from Asian and European countries;
  2. Officers, staff, and researchers from medical schools, research institutions and hospitals from Asian and European countries;
  3. Experts from the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Science and Technology of the Philippines (DOST); and
  4. Medical Officers, experts and enthusiasts from State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in the Philippines

Conference Fees

Type of Participant Early Bird Registration On-Site Registration
Professional $130 (Php6,500) $150 (Php7,500)
Student $80 (Php4,000) $100 (Php5,000)
  • The Registration Fee includes lunch, morning and afternoon snacks, and conference kit.
  • The fee does not include accommodation during the conference duration. Kindly make your own booking for accommodation.  You may contact Dr. Cecilia B. Banaag at 046-415-0010 for your accommodation needs.
  • Deadline for registration and payment will be on March 4, 2019
  • Student participants are subsidized in this conference. Please show your validated student ID upon registration.