As an alternative to the high cost of medicines in the country, the National College of Pharmacists (Conalfarm) proposes to develop the use of phytopharmaceuticals for the treatment of various diseases.
Jaime Olive, president of Conalfarm, to the ambassador of Panama in the Republic of China, Leonardo Kam, expressed his interest in establishing links with Chinese entities in order to develop knowledge exchange on traditional Chinese medicine with Panamanian phytopharmaceuticals, as well as considering the feasibility of establishing cooperation protocols in this matter.
The diplomat replied that they have addressed a formal communication to the Chinese Association of Traditional Medicine, transmitting the interest expressed by Conalfarm, at the request of the embassy.
Olive points out that the National College of Pharmacists of Panama is interested in designing a project of medicinal plants, which have proven effective as alternative medicine, especially with the high cost of chemically modified drugs.
“We know of the ancient Chinese culture in medicine developed for the benefit of health. In our country there are excellent researchers with Panamanian and foreign training in the area of phytopharmaceuticals, but we have not found a mechanism that allows us to transfer this valuable knowledge and obtain government support to take advantage of this possible potential of alternative medicine, as already reflected within the region other countries with fewer resources than ours”, indicated the director of Conalfarm.
He reported that the school has exposed this alternative to the health authorities, alleging that phytopharmaceutical drugs have shown that they can greatly improve health status.
“Panama has been a pioneer in this type of research. In our period, at the head of the school, we want to promote this alternative that can be the economic development of some sectors that venture into this field, ”he said.
He added that, to achieve this, they have to talk with the medical staff so that they can prescribe plant medicines, without any chemical change, and with the health authorities to establish the protocols and guidelines in this health alternative, just as our ancestors did.
On this subject, there is already legislation that regulates medicinal plants used by groups originating in the Republic of Panama.
