Ontario Government Regulating Traditional Chinese Medicine

The McGuinty government is helping ensure that Ontarians have access to safe, quality services provided by the health professionals of their choice, with the introduction of legislation to regulate the profession of traditional Chinese medicine, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced today.

   

"We promised to protect Ontarians who choose alternative health care like traditional Chinese medicine, and we are fulfilling that promise," said Smitherman. "If passed, this legislation will help give Ontarians confidence in the quality and safety of these treatments."

   

Traditional Chinese medicine is currently an unregulated profession in Ontario; no restrictions exist on who may call themselves a practitioner or who may practice the profession. As a result, Ontarians have no reliable way of knowing which practitioners possess the appropriate competencies and training required for safe practice. If passed, the legislation will make

traditional Chinese medicine the first new health profession to be regulated since 1991.

Highlights of the proposed legislation include:

    -  The creation of a self-governing regulatory college. This college

       would have the authority to set standards of practice and entry to

       practice requirements for the profession

    -  A defined scope of practice and restricted titles that only members of

       the profession may use, including the use of the "doctor" title by

       certain members of the profession

    -  Restricting the performance of acupuncture to members of regulated

       health professions and to persons who perform acupuncture as part of

       an addiction treatment program within a health facility.

"The regulation of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture has finally become reality since our first application was submitted in 1994. This is, indeed, joyful news," said Professor Cedric Cheung, President of the Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Association of Canada (CMAAC), and Vice-President of the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies. "The TCM community, including practitioners, patients and members of CMAAC, have been diligently pursuing regulation for 22 years. With the passage of the legislation being introduced today, the health and safety of Ontarians will be assured."

   

The proposed legislation builds on the consultation report released this past summer. It was prepared by MPPs Tony Wong, Richard Patten, Mike Colle and Peter Fonseca, who were appointed by the minister to travel the province to hear Ontarians views on traditional Chinese medicine. "I am pleased that our recommendations are being implemented and that the minister is moving forward to recognize a widely used form of complementary and alternative health care,"

said Tony Wong, Chair of the MPP group. "Traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture have been practiced for countless years, and we owe it to Ontarians to ensure that these services are delivered by practitioners with a high level of competence."

   

Traditional Chinese medicine is a holistic system of health care that originated in China several thousand years ago. Therapies include acupuncture, herbal therapy, tuina massage, and therapeutic exercise. TCM views the body as a whole and addresses how illness manifests itself in a patient and assesses the whole patient, not just the specific disease. Ontario will be the second province in Canada to regulate traditional Chinese medicine after British

Columbia.

   

"The Ontario government is to be commended for introducing legislation to regulate traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture in this province under the Regulated Health Professions Act. This will provide fair and equitable access to valuable treatment for all Ontarians. Members of the Acupuncture Foundation of Canada Institute look forward to a collegial relationship with

members of the future College of TCM," said Dr. Linda Rapson, MD, Executive President of the Acupuncture Foundation of Canada Institute.

   

This initiative is part of the McGuinty government's plan to build a health care system that reflects the needs of patients and communities, and will keep Ontarians healthy for generations to come.