ATCMA’s Response to Pamela Fayerman’s October 15 Article on Chinese Herbs and Medications

Pamela Fayerman’s October 15, 2015, Vancouver Sun article,” Chinese herbs mixed with medications can be hazardous,” draws attention to a local and current emergent medical issue- the potential dangerous interaction of Chinese herbs and western prescription medications. This issue is especially critical in BC, a province with a sizeable Chinese population. If this issue is not addressed immediately and properly, its threat to the public safety is only likely to intensify.

The responsibility for the resolution to this issue needs to be shared equally by the two BC dominant regulated Health Care providers involved: the Western Medical System and the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Industry. These two bodies need to put aside their individual differences and to communicate with each other collaboratively for the benefit of BC’s patients. The public also has a role to play in addressing this problem.

ATCMA, the largest and most influential Association of BC’s TCM practitioners suggests that the Ministry of Health is in the best position to initiate the resolution process. To do so, it should convene a committee in which the two medical systems are equally and fairly represented. This committee, under the direction of the provincial government’s Ministry of Health, should be given the responsibility to attend to two critical tasks: (1) the development of an educational component on herbs/ medication interaction, (2) the development of a similar education program to be made available to practitioners from both Western Medicine and TCM who are already licensed.

The first task could eventually be developed into a component of the pre licensing educational requisites for both the Western Medicine and TCM training programs. The second one could be made available as a compulsory Professional Development offering to practitioners already practicing. This way, all future health care providers who prescribe herbs and medications can be fully informed about the precautions they need to consider when they prescribe herbs and medications to their patients.

ATCMA, who is prepared to provide competent, fully qualified nominees to serve on such a committee, hopes that the Western Medical System also agrees to cooperate and to provide its support behind the establishment of an effective and safe Health Care system for BC residents, many of whom choose to access both the Western Medical system and TCM . This resolution may also provide an opportunity that we should not miss, one in which the two medical systems start to collaborate to provide our patients the safest health care available.

This approach can yield two important benefits: one immediate and the other long lasting. It can provide a workable resolution to the current herb/medication crisis, and it can start the dialogue that needs to take place between the Western Medical System and the Traditional Chinese Medicine components of British Columbia. Both benefits can enhance the lives and health care of our citizens. There is no logical reason why the Ministry of Health should not endorse this common sense proposal.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of ATCMA by Joseph Ranallo, BA (Hons), MA, R. Ac.

卑诗省中医针灸师公会ATCMA对于帕米拉Fayerman在10月15日发布有关中草药与西药的文章作出回应:

Pamela Fayerman在温哥华太阳报2015年10月15日刊登的文章,“中草药与西药混合可能是危险的”,引起了目前紧急医疗问题的注意─中草药和西医处方药相互作用的潜在危险。这个问题在卑诗省比较严重,这省有相当多的中国人口。如果这个问题没有立即妥善处理,其威胁公共安全只可能加剧。

为解决这一问题的责任要由参与卑诗省两个主要监管的医疗保健提供者分担:西方医疗系统与传统的中国医药(中医)行业。这两个机构需要抛开个体差异和相互协作为卑诗省患者的利益出发。在解决这些问题上公众也有一定的发挥作用。

卑诗省中医针灸师公会ATCMA是最大,最具影响力的公会认为,卫生部是启动解决过程的最佳部门。要做到这一点,就应该成立一个委员会,其中两个医疗系统有公正和公平的代表委员。该委员会应当在省政府的卫生部的引领工作,执行并负责两个关键任务:(1)发展中药和西药相互作用的教育内容(2)提供有注册的西医和中医师发展相类似的教育系统。

第一项任务可能最终发展成为西医和中医培训计划的一个组成部分。第二项任务可以为从业者提供一个强制性的专业发展指导。这样一来,今后所有的医疗人员就会对处方的中药和西药负责,并可以充分了解患者的需要,同时给予患者处方药物的注意事项。

ATCMA准备担负此责任,具备提名资格担任委员会的成员,希望西方医疗体系也同意合作,并建立一个有效和安全的卫生保健系统提供给卑诗省居民,无论其就医选择是西医还是中医。此解决方案还可以提供一个机会,希望大家重视,并希望这一合作,能为卑诗省患者提供更加安全的医疗保健服务。

这种方法可以产生两个重要的益处:一是即时性的,另外是长期性的。它可以为当前中药和西药同时服食的危机提供一个可行的解决方案,它还可以启动西方的医疗体系和卑诗省的中国传统医药体系之间的对话。这两个好处是为我们公民延长寿命和保健。正常情况下,卫生部没有理由反对这一常理性的建议。

作者: ATCMA by Joseph Ranallo, BA (Hons), MA, R. Ac.