Model Policies

• Global Policies
• National Policies
• Large City Policies
• Hospitals and Health Care Systems

Global Policies

• The World Health Organization issued a policy paper (pdf) in 2005 calling for short, medium and long term measures to substitute mercury-based medical devices with safer alternatives.
• The World Medical Association passed a resolution (pdf) in 2008 calling for the substitution of mercury-based medical devices with safer alternatives.

National Policies

• The Philippine Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order 2008-0021 (pdf) in 2008 calling for the phase-out of mercury based medical devices across the country by 2010.
• The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) revised its accreditation policy and ordered non-accreditation of non mercury-free hospitals.
• The Philippine Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued Memorandum Circular 2010-140 (pdf) enjoining all provincial governors, city mayors, municipal mayors, DILG regional directors and others concerned to ensure compliance to the Department of Health AO 21 mandating gradual phase-out of mercury-containing devices in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions.
• Taiwan has banned mercury thermometers (pdf).

Large City Policies

• The city government of Delhi, India, is developing a plan to phase out mercury-based medical devices (pdf) in hospitals under its jurisdiction.

Hospitals and Health Care Systems

Growing numbers of hospitals in developing countries are moving toward mercury free health care:

• In the Philippines more than 600 hospitals are moving toward mercury free health care.
• Fifteen hospitals, 3 medical universities, 2 non-government organizations, a national medical association, and a local and environment and natural resources office have signed HCWH-SEA Mercury Watch Campaign for 2010 mercury-free Philippines health care. The support statement is also demanding the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to provide a storage for the mercury-containing devices that will be taken out of the hospitals.
• Two hospitals in China are taking the first steps toward mercury substitution in their country.
• In India more than a dozen hospitals have piloted mercury free health care.

For More Information see the Global Movement for Mercury-Free Health Care.