Biomedical engineering and technology in the Philippines : scenario building for future strategic prospectives / Ronald A. Camit

Year : 2010

Number of Pages : 73 leaves

Adviser : Prof. Glen A. Imbang

Executive Summary

This paper aims to provide basic inputs for the creation of a technology roadmap for the field of Biomedical Engineering industry in the Philippines. The concept of scenario building activity will be used to determine the plausibility of this field in this country. This activity includes identification of the focal issue, environmental scanning, determination of variables and critical uncertainties, clustering and ranking of these variables and uncertainties, selection of scenario logics, development of scenarios, and assessments of scenario logics and their implications to strategic planning. The environmental scanning process reveals that the Philippines has a very poor and unstructured biomedical engineering field, curriculum and industry today. Their is no formal academic, industrial, governmental and non-governmental organization that oversees or regulates the field. The rate of technology transfer is very slow. The science and technology, and the health care systems are poorly funded. There are a very limited number of biomedical professionals in the country, and most practicing professionals in the health care industry are often perceived as technicians. Biomedical engineering devices, gadgets and equipment in the Philippines are mostly imported, with some locally manufactured by the multinational companies. Orthopedic International, Inc. is the only Filipino-owned company engaged in biomedical R&D for the field of orthopedic science. Experts' opinions show that full government support in terms of promoting the field, funding and legislation that will support rapid industrial growth is what the Philippines need to become competitive in this field. These are the issues that need to be addressed, and are used in the development of the scenarios for this activity. The first scenario developed shows that investing heavily on improving the national S&T infrastructure and creating a world-class National Life Sciences and Biomedical Research Institute will enable the Philippines to catch-up and grow rapidly, and become regional leader in the fields of telemedicine and health tourism. The second scenario sees the Philippines as a self-sufficient country when it comes to the demand on biomedical engineering products and applications thru enormous efforts in promoting locally-manufactured BME products and innovation and the creation of biomedical engineering cluster. The third scenario reveals that the country lags behind among its neighbors and due to insufficient investments for this field both from the government and industry, discontinued BME-related programs and projects, low-morale professionals and very poor implementation of laws and policies related to intellectual property rights, importation of goods and taxation.