ATCMA Advocacy
Urgent Action Needed: Parliament Votes Tomorrow on Natural Health Product Access
Healthcare practitioners across Canada face a critical moment for patient care. Parliament is voting this week on Bill C-224, which would restore appropriate regulation for Natural Health Products (NHPs) including herbal medicines, nutritional supplements, and traditional formulas. Since 2023, these low-risk products have been subjected to the same enforcement framework as pharmaceutical drugs—with penalties up to $5 million per day—threatening both practitioner supply chains and patient access to essential natural health options. Your voice as a healthcare professional can make the difference in this crucial vote scheduled for March 11.
ATCMA Leadership Meets with Ministry of Health: Positive Discussions About TCM Regulations and Scope of Practice
We're pleased to share an update on ATCMA's recent productive meeting with the Ministry of Health regarding Traditional Chinese Medicine regulations and scope of practice developments in British Columbia.
ATCMA Update: ICBC Fee Adjustments and Continued Advocacy Efforts
We're pleased to share important updates from the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) that directly impact our Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture community, along with an overview of ATCMA's ongoing advocacy efforts on your behalf.
HPOA Implementation: What to Know Before April 1
With the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) coming into effect on April 1, 2026, regulatory changes will impact multiple health professions across British Columbia. To help ensure practitioners feel informed, prepared, and confident, the ATCMA is joining forces with our colleagues in the naturopathic, RMT, and chiropractic professions for a collaborative webinar. Attendance is limited to ATCMA members.
National Collaboration: ATCMA Meets with TCM Leaders Across Canada
ATCMA recently met with TCM association leaders from Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec to discuss shared national priorities. From coordinated promotion efforts to federal student grant concerns, this growing collaboration reflects a united commitment to strengthening and protecting the profession across Canada.
NNHPD Cost Recovery & Labelling Changes: ATCMA Advocating for the TCM Profession
Health Canada’s NNHPD is consulting on proposed cost recovery measures and labelling changes that could significantly impact TCM herbal products. ATCMA is actively engaging key stakeholders to assess the implications and ensure the profession’s voice is represented throughout this regulatory process.
Ministry of Health Statement on Traditional Chinese Medicine Regulation
Following sustained advocacy from the TCM community, the Ministry of Health has indicated it will clarify restrictions around prescribing Chinese herbal formulas. Final assessment will depend on the specific language adopted in the amended Regulations and Bylaws.
Root, Branch, and the Future of Our Profession: A TCM Lens on Advocacy
Change can feel unsettling, especially when it affects the heart of how we practice. In this blog, ATCMA looks at today’s regulatory challenges through the lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine, using familiar principles like root and branch, interconnected systems, adaptability, and patience to explain how we’re advocating for the profession. From scope of practice and public safety to the long-term future of TCM in British Columbia, this piece offers insight into why this work matters and how thoughtful, sustained advocacy helps ensure our medicine continues to grow and thrive.
How Advocacy Works: Why Some of Our Work Happens Behind the Scenes
Advocacy is rarely as simple--or as fast--as any of us would like. As a professional association, ATCMA understands the frustration many in our community feel when change is happening around us and information seems limited. We want to take this opportunity to explain how advocacy work actually unfolds, why some conversations cannot be shared publicly in real time, and how ATCMA has been working consistently and strategically on behalf of the profession.
Defending Safe Herbal Practice: ATCMA Board Members Join Protest Against Regulatory Changes
ATCMA board members, Charity Cheng and Dr. Virginia Ding, attended a rally today to protest the BC government's removal of the restricted activity of prescribing, compounding, and dispensing Chinese herbal formulas, currently set to come into action on April 1, 2026.
Act Now To Protect Public Safety and Professional Standards
With the implementation of the new Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) and our new Regulations, forthcoming changes will remove the restricted activity of prescribing Chinese herbal formulas beginning April 1, 2026. The consequence? An opening for unregulated individuals to prescribe, compound, and sell Chinese herbal medicine without oversight, training, or professional accountability.
Removing this vital protection is not just a bureaucratic change — it’s a fundamental threat to public safety and the integrity of our profession. Take action!
3 Ways to Act to Regain Our Restricted Activity of Prescribing Chinese Herbs
The prescribing of Chinese herbal formulas requires specialized education, clinical judgment, and regulatory oversight. ATCMA is sharing these options for practitioners and public to support the reinstatement of prescribing, compounding, and dispensing of Chinese herbal medicine as a restricted activity in British Columbia.