Unlicensed medical practitioners could be allowed to prescribe traditional Chinese herbal medicine

The province plans to deregulate prescribing, compounding and dispensing of traditional Chinese herbal medicine when the Health Professions and Occupations Act takes effect in April, and patients and licensed practitioners have expressed concern. Licensed practitioners held a news conference and staged a rally in Vancouver to oppose the change.

The provincial government plans to remove restrictions that currently limit prescribing, compounding and dispensing of traditional Chinese herbal medicine to licensed practitioners, a change set to take effect in April when the Health Professions and Occupations Act comes into force. That prospect has drawn attention from patients and from licensed traditional Chinese medicine practitioners who say the move could affect public health and the profession’s credibility. Some practitioners organized a news conference and a rain-soaked rally to voice opposition. A patient who travels from Nanaimo to Vancouver for treatment said he would not trust medicine from an unlicensed practitioner. Key details: - The planned change would open prescribing, compounding and dispensing of traditional Chinese herbal medicine to unlicensed practitioners, with the new rules scheduled to begin in April under the Health Professions and Occupations Act. - Current restrictions now make those activities limited to licensed practitioners. - Tom Whitfield, a patient who travels from Qualicum Beach for traditional Chinese medicine, said he would not trust care or herbal medicine from an unlicensed practitioner and worried about unknown contents. - Dr. John Yang, who has a medical degree and traditional medicine qualifications and chairs Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Traditional Chinese Medicine program, said many licensed practitioners are "deeply concerned." - Practitioners held a news conference denouncing the plan and Dr. Yang organized a rally in Vancouver that drew about 100 protesters in heavy rain. Summary: Practitioners and some patients have publicly opposed the provincial plan to deregulate aspects of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, raising concerns about safety, oversight and professional standards. The legislative change is scheduled to take effect in April when the Health Professions and Occupations Act comes into force.