MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker has filed a measure at the House of Representatives that he said will better regulate and improve the practice of veterinary medicine in the country, including the imposition of penalties and stricter monitoring of veterinarians who commit malpractice.
Rep. Paolo Duterte (Davao City, 1st District) on Tuesday filed House Bill No. 7896, or the Anti-Veterinary Malpractice Act of 2023, which seeks to institutionalize penalties— including the cancellation of their license to practice— against veterinarians found to have committed malpractice.
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Duterte said the measure aims to push an "enabling legislation" that will "hold a veterinarian liable for gross negligence and ignorance in exercise of their professions."
There is no law penalizing medical malpractice in the Philippines although victims of medical negligence may sue for damages.
Duterte said that if his proposal is passed into law, the government will be able to "standardize and regulate" the practice of veterinary medicine "through safe and proper diagnosis, treatment and surgery of animals," Duterte added.
Currently, the practice of veterinary medicine is regulated by the Philippine Veterinary Medicine Act and graduates of veterinary medicine need to pass a board exam to become licenses veterinarians. Under that law, the Professional Regulatory Board of Veterinary Medicine "shall have the power to reprimand or suspend any person from the practice of the veterinary medicine, revoke the Certification of Registration of any registered veterinarian."
Among the grounds for the revocation of a license is "gross incompetence, gross negligence, gross ignorance or any other acts of malpractice resulting in the disability, disfigurement or death of an animal."
Rep. Duterte's proposal
Under Rep. Duterte's bill, medical malpractice in veterinary medicine will be punishable by fines ranging from P20,000 to P250,000, apart from the cancellation and revocation of the veterinarian’s permits and licenses.
Acts considered punishable by the measure include veterinarians' gross negligence leading to the “disability, disfigurement and death” of an animal, fraud or dishonesty in conducting laboratory tests, neglect in providing aid for animals during state of calamities, unethical conduct of business related to animal health and production, among others.
The measure will also require all veterinarians to obtain insurance for veterinary malpractice of no less than P50,000 to "answer for any claims of damages arising from the act or omission perpetrated by the insured resulting in injury or loss of life to any animal," the bill noted.
Duterte added that it is the policy of the State to "protect and promote the welfare of all animals" by regulating establishments and facilities that are used for their breeding, maintaining, treating and other related acts.
Duterte said the Philippine Veterinary Medicine Act does has not prevented malpractice.
According to the Philippine Animal Welfare Society, pet or animal owners suspecting malpractice can report incidents to the Professional Regulation Commission and the Philippine Veterinary Medical Association.