ATCMA
Qi Conference 2026
Qi Conference 2026 brings together practitioners, educators, and students for an immersive weekend of learning that bridges classical Traditional Chinese Medicine theory with modern clinical practice.
Get the ATCMA member early bird member of $200 plus GST for the whole weekend! Deadline February 6, 2026.
Sign up soon so that you can get into the courses YOU choose.
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.
ATCMA Seminar | Jan 18 – The Predictable Profit Framework for TCM Practitioners
The Predictable Profit Framework: Building a Sustainable TCM Practice
Jan 18, 2026 | 2:00–3:30 PM | 1.5 CEU-ZOOM | English
Learn practical strategies to grow a profitable, sustainable TCM practice, attract and retain patients, and make decisions that support long-term success
ATCMA Members: Free | Non-Members: $30
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.
Federal Government Cut Grants to Students Attending Private Institutions
President of Central College and ATCMA committee member, Bruce Pan, R.TCM.P., attended a meeting held on Saturday December 6 to discuss the federal government's removal of federal grants to students at private schools across Canada. Neil Dou, ATCMA Vice President, also attended and expressed, on behalf of ATCMA, the concerns regarding the current issues facing the TCM profession in BC.
Myths and Facts about working with ICBC Prepared for ATCMA
To support our members, the ATCMA has gathered some of the most common myths surrounding ICBC coverage for acupuncture and compared them with the actual facts. Our goal is to provide clarity, reduce administrative frustration, and help you feel confident navigating ICBC processes so you can focus on what matters most: patient care.
Potential Loss of Federal Student Grants to Most TCM Schools
Earlier today, we received new information from the Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Association of Canada (CMAAC) regarding an upcoming town hall discussion in Richmond, hosted by MP Garnett Genuis, Shadow Minister for Employment. This meeting will address a proposal in the 2025 federal budget that would limit access to Canada Student Grants to students attending public institutions or not-for-profit private institutions. If implemented, this change would remove grant eligibility for students enrolled in private career colleges—including all Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture programs in BC.