Filling the Gaps on Folic acid Insufficiency: Legislation, Implementation, and Intervention

PRESS RELEASE

NAST-DOST*

The National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) gathered stakeholders from the health and nutrition sector, representatives from the legislative body and other concerned government agencies, the academe, the private sector, and the pharmaceutical industry on June 28 at Hotel Jen Manila for a Science Legislative Forum (SLF) on Folic Acid. 

Resource persons, speakers and guests of the SLF on Folic Acid. (Photo: NAST-PHL @NASTPHL)

The objectives of the SLF were to review the global and Philippine burden of neural tube defects; review the burden of folic acid deficiency and insufficiency in the Philippines; review evidence for, impacts of, and safety of increasing folic acid intake; review experiences in increasing folic acid intake globally and in the Philippines; to orient the various stakeholders on the proposed legislations on folic acid supplementation and fortification; and discuss the role of government agencies, the academe, and the private sector.

The participants of the legislative forum were welcomed by Academician (Acd.) Fabian M. Dayrit, acting president of NAST PHL. One of the mandates of NAST PHL is to serve as an adviser to the government and the scientific community on policy formulation. Through the initiatives of Acd. Carmencita D. Padilla, member of the Health Sciences Division (HSD) of NAST PHL and focal person of the SLF on Folic Acid, the Rare Disease Act or the Republic Act No. 10747 was signed into law by President Benigno Aquino III. Its stakeholders can be traced from a successful legislative forum that captured cohesive inputs for the advocacy of the said act.

As there no are existing folic acid fortification efforts in the Philippines and supplementation efforts have achieved low coverage, there is a need to put a comprehensive policy in place not only to increase the awareness and knowledge on how folic acid can prevent NTDs but also to improve the maternal health of every Filipino mother and woman of child-bearing age; hence the conduct of a legislative forum for folic acid fortification and supplementation, Acd. Dayrit stressed.

Folate is a B-vitamin that plays a significant role in preventing birth defects particularly of the baby’s brain and spine, which are collectively known as neural tube defects (NTDs). Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate that occurs in fortification and supplementation.

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NAST PHL holds Science Legislative Forum on Folic acid

Resource persons, speakers and guests of the SLF on Folic Acid. (Photo: NAST-PHL @NASTPHL)

MANILA, Philippines – The National Academy of Science and Technology Philippines (NAST-PHL) held a Science Legislative Forum (SLF) on Folic Acid last June 28, 2016 at Hotel Jen Manila. The forum organized by the Health Sciences Division of NAST-PHL was attended by delegates from concerned government agencies, congressional health committees, local and international non-government organizations (NGOs), and the academe. 

Studies have shown that the intake of folic acid or vitamin B9 from supplements and fortified food can significantly reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) or problems on the development of the baby’s brain and spine. NTDs comprise the second most common group of serious birth defects and these may result in immediate infant death, deformity or disability. Although there are efforts directed  towards increasing awareness, knowledge and consumption of folic acid, the full potential of folic acid to reduce the risk of NTDs has not yet realized in most countries, including the Philippines.

According to Dr. Carmencita Padilla, activity focal person and NAST Academician, the SLF represents “an important day for women”.  UP Manila Chancellor Padilla also noted that women in the reproductive age needs to take the vitamin not only for good health but also for saving babies from NTDs. In the latter, women planning to get pregnant should take the vitamin at periconception or the period before becoming pregnant and during the early months of pregnancy. 

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Rare Disease bill moves closer to passage

The House of Representatives 

Health Promotion and Advocacy Update

There are already a number of rare disease bills filed in the Senate and House of Representatives since the 14th Congress, and now, the Rare Disease Bill moves closer to passage within the 16th Congress with its approval in the House of Representatives last August 24, 2015.

The Rare Disease bill ensures that persons with rare diseases will receive necessary medical information, healthcare, as well as rights and benefits as Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). It will also integrate the care and management of patients with rare disease to the current public healthcare system, and contribute on achieving Universal Healthcare.

Rare diseases are life-long, progressive, degenerative, life-threatening and disabling conditions. At present, a disease is considered rare if it affects 1 in 20,000 individuals or less, as defined by the Institute of Human Genetics (IHG)-NIH, UP Manila. It is estimated that around 6,000 to 10,000 individuals, mostly children, in the Philippines are afflicted with rare diseases. 

Among the rare diseases mentioned in the bill are Gaucher Disease, Maple Syrup Urine Disease, Pompe Disease, Galactosemia, Phenylketonuria, Methylmalonic Acidemia, Urea Cycle Defects, Hurler Syndrome, Hunter Syndrome, Prader-Willi Syndrome and Lubag. Some rare diseases are detected through newborn screening (NBS) – both basic (6-test panel) and expanded NBS.

The version of the Rare Disease bill in the House is a consolidation of nine house bills and it was authored and supported by principal author Diosdado Arroyo (2nd District, Camarines Sur) and 30 other legislators. House Bill 5973, otherwise known as the “Rare Diseases Act”, mandates the formation of the Rare Disease Technical Working Group (RDTWG) under the Department of Health (DOH), the lead agency in implementing the measure. Among the tasks of DOH-RDTWG is the identification of rare diseases, designating orphan drugs and products corresponding to a type of rare disease, as well as formulate policies on its regulation.

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VYLH, GeneSoc attend NAST RTD on Folic Acid

“We need folic acid.”

Participants of the NAST-DOST RTD on Folic Acid
(Photo: NAST-DOST)

Those were the words mentioned by UP Manila Vice-Chancellor for Research Dr. Eva Cutiongco-de la Paz as she concluded the Round Table Discussion (RTD) on Folic Acid hosted by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) last June 23, 2015 at Hotel Jen Manila. 

The RTD on Folic acid focused on the importance of taking enough folic acid by all women in the reproductive age. Folic acid is a B-vitamin (Vitamin B6) that is important in the prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs) or problems in the development of the baby’s brain and spinal cord. It is recommended that all women in the reproductive age need 400 micrograms of the vitamin per day, while the dose increases by ten times for high-risk mothers such as those who had a child with an NTD (4,000 micrograms/day). 

Dr. Carmencita Padilla presenting the highlights of the
proposed bill on Folic acid supplementation and
mandatory fortification (Photo:NAST-DOST)

According to a NAST release, “the RTD acknowledged the role of different sectors in the drafting of the policy on Folic acid supplementation and food fortification”. In the RTD, invited experts discussed the burden of neural defects; the importance of folic acid supplementation to avoid NTDs; and the current local and global programs in food fortification. 

Highlights of the proposed legislation on folic acid, “An Act Establishing a Comprehensive Policy on achieving adequate intake of Folic acid through Fortification and Supplementation” were also presented in the RTD by NAST Academician and UP Manila Chancellor Dr. Carmencita Padilla. In her presentation, Dr. Padilla mentioned that “there are already many efforts addressing folic acid deficiency that only require coordination and support of policy…and when the bill will be passed, there are other challenges in implementing and monitoring it, but it is important to already start in crafting it (the bill)”. Dr. Padilla, also the focal person of the RTD, asked the audience to give their inputs and support to the bill. 

As representatives of the youth, members of VYLH-Philippines and The UPLB Genetics Society (GeneSoc) joined the Folic acid RTD. Aside from newborn screening promotion and rare disorder support, both organizations are involved in the campaign on increasing public awareness, especially among women in the reproductive age, on the importance of folic acid and its role on preventing neural tube defects.(RPascual; with reports from NAST-DOST)

The National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) conducted the Roundtable Discussion on Folic Acid...
Posted by National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), Philippines on Tuesday, June 23, 2015

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VYLH-Philippines extends its gratitude to NAST-DOST for considering the network as youth representative to this event. 

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