Every Monday, Tom Whitfield embarks on a ferry ride from Nanaimo to downtown Vancouver for his acupuncture session at a traditional Chinese medicine clinic. Despite the full-day journey, the retired forester finds the treatment worthwhile as it has significantly relieved 90% of the pain in his cheek after skin cancer surgery.
Whitfield firmly believes in the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine. However, he emphasizes the importance of receiving care and herbal medication only from licensed practitioners, expressing concerns about the safety of unregulated practices.
The traditional Chinese medicine industry is currently facing potential deregulation of prescribing, compounding, and dispensing herbal medicine in British Columbia. This move, set to take effect in April under the new Health Professions and Occupations Act, has sparked controversy among both patients and licensed practitioners.
Dr. John Yang, who leads Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Traditional Chinese Medicine program, voiced deep concerns regarding the planned changes. Licensed practitioners have raised alarms about the risks to public health and the profession’s credibility if regulations are lifted.
The Ministry of Health’s silence on the matter has left practitioners like Yang feeling unheard and undervalued. The planned deregulation could not only jeopardize public safety but also discourage aspiring students from pursuing rigorous training in traditional Chinese medicine.
Ronggang Li, a respected acupuncturist, stressed the importance of professional training and credentials in prescribing traditional Chinese medicine. He urged for the protection of standards to ensure the safety and integrity of the profession.