Law N° 7852 ''Deconcentration of hospitals and clinics of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund,'' states the social participation in population health boards (PHB) formally stablished. The PHBs can participate in the formulation, monitoring and budgetary control, and likewise in prevention and health promotion. Members of the PHBs are citizens or social security users that belong to the geographical area attached according to their place of residence. As a regular practice of the Ministry of Health, civil society organizations are invited to participate on the process of elaboration of the National Health Policy and the National Health Plan.