Section 3. Definition of Terms. —
For the purpose of this Act, the following terms shall be defined as follows:
Health shall refer to a state of optimal physical, mental and social well-being and the ability to function at the individual level.
Health Research Stakeholders shall refer to the national and the local public and private agencies/organizations, policymakers, the academe, medical and health societies, people's organizations and others who are concerned with and affected by health and development.
National Unified Health Research Agenda shall refer to a set of research priorities determined by the country's stakeholders which addresses the health needs of the population vis-a-vis the health sector's goal for universal health care. This agenda is a platform to advocate for local, national and international support.
Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) shall refer to one of the sectoral planning councils of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) which provides central direction, leadership and coordination in health science and technology (S&T).
Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB) shall refer to the national policymaking body on health research ethics, created under DOST Special Order No. 091, which is mandated to ensure that all phases of health research shall adhere to the universal ethical principles that value the protection and promotion of the dignity of health research participants.
Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) shall refer to a framework anchored on the principles of Essential National Health Research on inclusiveness, participation, quality, equity, efficiency and effectiveness, which connect to, and converge with, the wider health, economic, political, educational and S&T systems of the country.
Regional Health Research Systems shall refer to the regional health research consortia or communities in all the regions of the country which mirror the PNHRS framework at the regional level.
Research shall refer to the development of knowledge with the aim of understanding health challenges and mounting an improved response to them. This covers the full spectrum of research in five (5) generic areas of activity: (1) measuring the problem; (2) understanding its cause(s); (3) elaborating solutions; (4) translating the solutions or evidence into policy, practice and products; and (5) evaluating the effectiveness of solutions.