Amending Joint Resolution No. 02 (S. 2020) on the Authority to Sign Analysis Certification of Pharmaceutical Products and their Raw Materials, Food/Dietary Supplements, Health Supplements and Cosmetics

Posted on July 13, 2022July 13, 2022

The Professional Regulatory Boards of Chemistry and Pharmacy have released a joint resolution on 2020 on the authority to sign analysis certification of pharmaceutical products and their raw materials, food or dietary supplements, health supplements, and cosmetics.

This joint resolution permits registered chemists and registered pharmacists to validly sign certificates of analysis of the aforementioned products before being allowed for public use or consumption.

This joint resolution was amended on 21st of June 2022. The amended resolution states that: “Chemists and pharmacists can validly sign analysis certification of pharmaceutical products and their raw materials, food/dietary supplements, health supplements and cosmetics before the same is released for public use or consumption. Thus, for those outside the production process, such as analysis of a product already in the market, other than that of the product’s Marketing Authorization Holder and those performed in an FDA-licensed pharmaceutical establishment, for authenticity/contamination tests or other purposes, certification of the analysis shall be done by a chemist.”

Read the Joint Resolution here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oD9fHyxACJTx2A6YOD6EBdC6yeaufNPa/view?fbclid=IwAR1XJqWGeFPdla_BXkHWHb17t8oSRrMDjuQO7OheEuTghwu6QsYERvkhRt0

Report Individuals, Groups, Companies That Avoid Complying with the Chemistry Profession Act

Posted on March 6, 2021March 6, 2021

The Professional Regulatory Board of Chemistry (BOC) has recently opened a means for the public to report individuals, groups, or companies that continuously violate and purposely avoid complying with the Chemistry Profession Act.

Examples of such violations include, but are not limited to, the following: absence of or expired Certificate of Authority to Operate a chemical laboratory, non-hiring of registered chemistry professionals, non-issuance of hazard pay to its registered chemistry professionals, and others.

The public is hereby advised to send a report (together with sufficient evidence) to the following email addresses: prbsec.chemistry1@gmail.com or prb_chemistry@prc.gov.ph. For any legal actions to proceed, it is crucial that the informant disclose his/her identity when submitting a report. Rest assured that the BOC will never reveal the informant’s identity.

Statement on the Board of Chemistry’s Issuance of Notices of Violation to Non-Complying Chemical Laboratories

Posted on November 6, 2020November 10, 2020

6 NOVEMBER 2020 — The Integrated Chemists of the Philippines would like to inform the public that the Professional Regulatory Board of Chemistry (PRBOC) of the Professional Regulation Commission is stepping up its efforts to carry out its mandate to implement the Chemistry Profession Act (Republic Act No. 10657), in particular with respect to chemical laboratories, which states:

Section 39. Penal Clause for Chemical Laboratories and Related Firms. – No chemical laboratory or firm shall undertake activities covered by this Act without a valid authority to operate the same. The president or the highest ranking officer of the corporation shall be held liable for violations of this Act. Upon conviction, these persons shall be sentenced to a penalty of imprisonment for a period of not less than one (1) month but not more than one (1) year, or a fine of not less than one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) but not more than one million pesos (P1,000,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court.

The PRBOC has started issuing notices of violation to chemical laboratories, which to date, more than 2 years after the end of the grace period provided by law (i.e., in 2018), have not yet applied for their certificate of authority to operate (CATO), and yet continue their operations.

Notices of denial of application are likewise being issued to chemical laboratories that continue their operations without a CATO. These are chemical laboratories which have applied for a CATO and have been inspected by the PRBOC but have not fully corrected their non-compliances more than a year after their agreed compliance dates.

Non-compliant laboratories are given 30 days to explain why they should not be cited for violation of Section 39 of RA No. 10657. Failure to respond will be deemed a waiver and the Board shall be constrained to take legal action against these chemical laboratories on the basis of available records. We encourage all affected laboratories to comply with the PRBOC directive.

Thank you.

On the Purchasing of Chemist Seals from Unauthorized Entities

Posted on October 11, 2020October 11, 2020

(English Translation)

This is to inform the public that the Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) is the only entity authorized by the Professional Regulation Commission to accept orders for the registered chemist seal. Registered chemists who wish to purchase their own chemist seal must place their orders only through the ICP.

The ICP calls on all registered chemists to abide by the Code of Ethics for the Chemistry Profession and NOT engage in the purchasing of chemist seals through unauthorized entities or illegal means.

(Pagsasalin sa Filipino)

Inaabisuhan ang lahat na ang Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) ang tanging pinagkalooban ng Professional Regulation Commission upang gumawa ng registered chemist seal. Ang mga registered chemist na nais kumuha at bumili ng kanilang chemist seal ay dapat makipag-ugnayan sa ICP.

Tinatawagan ng ICP ang lahat ng mga registered chemist na tumalima sa Code of Ethics for the Chemistry Profession at HUWAG bumili ng chemist seal mula sa hindi awtorisadong mga tao o sa ilegal na mga pamamaraan.

On the Use of Chemicals to Clean Face Masks and Other PPEs

Posted on August 7, 2020August 12, 2020

(English Translation)

Official Statement of the Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) on the Use of Chemicals to Clean Face Masks and Other PPEs

The Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) wishes to advise the public to follow the manufacturer’s specification on the proper use and care of face masks. For washable cloth face masks, use detergent or soap and water.

The ICP does not recommend the use of gasoline or diesel to clean face masks or other personal protective equipment (PPE).

All grades of gasoline are considered hazardous with immediate (acute) and long-term (chronic) effects to health. Gasoline contains compounds, such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene (BTEX) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which are toxic and/or carcinogenic.

Gasoline is also a skin and eye irritant, may affect the central nervous system, and may be harmful or fatal if swallowed.

(Pagsasalin sa Filipino)

Opisyal na Pahayag ng ICP Tungkol sa Paggamit ng Mga Kemikal Sa Panlinis ng Mga Face Mask at Iba Pang Mga Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Ang Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (ICP) ay nais na magpayo sa publiko na sundin ang wastong paggamit at pangangalaga ng mga face mask ayon sa payo ng manufacturer. Para sa mga face mask na maaaring hugasan (washable face masks), gumamit lang ng sabon o sabong pandamit at tubig.

Hindi inirerekumenda ng ICP ang paggamit ng gasolina o diesel bilang panlinis ng mga face mask o iba pang personal protective equipment (PPE).

Ang lahat ng uri ng gasolina ay maituturing na mapanganib na nagdudulot ng masamang epekto sa kalusugan. Naglalaman ang gasolina ng mga sangkap tulad ng BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene) at PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) na nakalalason at nagiging sanhi ng kanser.

Ang gasolina ay nagdudulot din ng pangangati ng balat at mata, at maaaring makaapekto sa central nervous system. Mapanganib at posibleng makamatay din ang mga ito kapag nalunok.