Executive Summary

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) includes a wide range of therapies and is best known for the practices of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. TCM has a long history in Australia, but it is currently being used more widely than ever before and its growth in popularity shows no signs of slowing. It is estimated there are at least 2.8 million TCM consultations each year in Australia. This represents an annual turnover of $84 million within the health economy. Chinese herbal medicines are also widely used, their importation has increased four-fold in as many years, and they also form a significant component of the health economy.

During the last decade there has been a proliferation of TCM practitioners, training courses, and professional associations. It is estimated that by the year 2000 the number of TCM practitioners in Australia will double. Professional associations, concerned about the variety of qualifications amongst TCM practitioners, have made various attempts to introduce collaborative self-regulation, none of which have been successful.

One of the main reasons given by patients who use some form of complementary medicine is that they view it as a gentler alternative in the treatment of chronic illness to pharmaceutical drugs or surgery. Recent publicised findings in Australia on the treatment of hepatitis C with Chinese herbal medicine are one confirmation of its potential effectiveness and relative safety in chronic illness, and it may also represent significant cost savings to the public health budget. However, whilst the practice of TCM may be relatively safe in comparison to western medicine, it is not free of risk.

The number and type of adverse events reported in the literature and uncovered as part of the TCM Workforce Survey provide evidence that, like all effective medical interventions, the practice of TCM contains inherent risks. The risks identified are not trivial and fatalities have occurred. With community demand for TCM being high and growing, and with the profession having failed to self-regulate, the question remains as to how best to deliver TCM safely for all consumers.

The principal recommendation of this report is the introduction of statutory occupational regulation in the form of a restriction of title. The aim is to introduce minimal, yet sufficient, regulation to ensure adequate public safety, and to cause the least anti-competitive effect in the health care marketplace. The result will be to minimise those risks presented by inadequate education and practice of TCM. Other associated recommendations are stated in the Summary of Recommendations.

In addition, no government agency reflects in its structure the current pattern of usage of complementary medicine by the Australian community. Australian and overseas findings indicate a level of usage of complementray medicine that makes up a significant component of health care. Appropiate structures and mechanisms that reflect the health care practices by the community need to be identifiable in government agencies and policies that serve that community.

This report on the practice of TCM is timely and reflects similar trends towards re-examination of TCM in overseas jurisdictions. The growing usage of TCM in Australia and overseas requires the placement of appropriate legislative mechanisms and the adoption of suitable principles in education and training to ensure adequate safety and effective delivery. The recommendations carried in this report will assist to achieve those ends. The purpose of these recommendations as a whole is to ensure that choices of health care remain as wide as possible whilst delivery remains as safe as possible.

Copies of The hardcopy report may be obtained from:
The Faculty Manager
Faculty of Health
University of Western Sydney Macarthur
PO Box 555
Campbelltown NSW 2560
Australia
Phone: (046) 203 347
Fax: (046) 254 252
email: j.slater@uws.edu.au

Hardcopy Published by the Faculty of Health, University of Western Sydney Macarthur.

© Department of Human Services, Victoria 1996

ISBN 1 875760 44 X

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