Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has become increasingly popular throughout Australia over recent years, and its practice now represents a significant component of the total health care industry. The evidence is that this trend will continue, and that more and more Australians will see TCM as playing an important role in maintaining their health. This report completes the second stage of the review of the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine initiated by the Victorian Department of Human Services in August 1995. The first stage was completed with the launch, in November 1996, of the report Towards a Safer Choice.
It is essential that the practice of TCM be safe to the public. This requires that TCM training be of a high standard, that the public and other health care practitioners are easily able to identify practitioners who are well qualified, and that consumers have access to effective mechanisms to deal with any complaints that may arise. Two key models were set out in the Discussion Paper released in September 1997, and were canvassed in the public consultation process that followed. The first is self-regulation through an independent body established cooperatively by professional associations of TCM. The other involves setting up registration boards under State and Territory legislation, similar to those that register medical practitioners, nurses, physiotherapists, chiropractors, and various other health care practitioners.
National Competition Policy requires that any new regulatory measure that might restrict competition must demonstrate that the benefits of the restriction to the community as a whole outweigh the costs, and that the objectives of the legislation can only be achieved by restricting competition. Thus, before adopting the recommendations of this report, State and Territory Health Ministers must be satisfied that self-regulation is not an effective option. The Committee believes that the most effective option for protecting the public is regulation through statutory registration, and the report documents a significant convergence of views on this. Untrained, unregulated practice of TCM poses significant risks to public health, and without regulation, these risks are likely to increase. It is the Committee's view that TCM should be subject to the same standards, models and systems that apply to other health care occupations which require government regulation to protect the public.
While the Committee recognises the limitations in addressing only one of the 'complementary therapies', there is little support for an approach which lumps together all those therapies labelled 'alternative' or 'complementary'. Each should be examined on its merits. In the area of TCM, we believe we have made a significant step forward. This stage of the review has included a lengthy consultation process, and I am confident that all parties with an interest have had ample opportunity to consider the proposals and have their views heard. The cooperation from the TCM profession has been exemplary. I wish to thank all those who have freely given their time and, at their own expense, travelled long distances to participate in the Ministerial Advisory Committee and its sub-committees. There has been enormous support for the review process, with substantial interest from the media. This reflects, I believe, an interest within the community in seeing this form of medicine widely and safely available.
I commend this report and its recommendations to you.
Mr Robert Doyle MP
Parliamentary Secretary to the Victorian Minister for Health
Chair, Victorian Ministerial Advisory Committee on Traditional Chinese Medicine
The report draws extensively on the publication Towards a Safer Choice: The Practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Australia prepared by
Mr Alan Bensoussan and Dr Stephen Myers.
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last updated 16/7/98
