PETALING JAYA: The proposed new law to regulate private Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) facilities must address the grey areas and loopholes under existing laws, say practitioners.
Federation of Chinese Physicians and Acupuncturists Associations Malaysia president Prof Dr Ng Po Kok said consultation with TCM practitioners is necessary to better understand the challenges faced by the industry.
He said the move is essential to strike a balance between regulation and sustainable development.
"We believe the implementation of the proposed law should not be rushed. Many TCM practitioners are still working from home or practising part-time, and the registration process for practitioners has only recently begun.
"Immediate enforcement of facility-based regulation may create undue pressure and negative impact on these practitioners."
Ng added that TCM practitioners should not be regulated under the same framework as Western medicine.
"The TCM profession does not yet enjoy the same status or level of recognition as Western medical practitioners. Applying identical rules and penalties would be unfair and unrealistic," he said.
According to Ng, the Health Ministry should focus more on strengthening the overall TCM ecosystem.
He said this is achieved by establishing government-supported TCM hospitals; providing adequate clinical training bases for students to undergo hands-on training locally; and gradually improving education, accreditation and regulatory frameworks to lay a solid foundation for future legislation.
Malaysian Chinese Medical Association president Heng Aik Teng said TCM practitioners are currently not allowed to operate in the same premises or share facilities with modern medical practitioners, adding that there is potential obstruction to integrated care.
"Many countries such as Australia, China and some European Union nations permit integrated medical centres where different modalities operate under the same roof. This facilitates cross-disciplinary cooperation," he said.
Heng added that costs and administrative burdens will increase if TCM practitioners are required to operate in separate premises.
"Patients are increasingly seeking integrated treatment plans for chronic disease management, rehabilitation and pain therapy," he said.
Heng proposed that the new law allows for integrated healthcare centres, with clear safety and professional guidelines.
He also said the new law should define the clear scope of practice for each TCM discipline; establish more detailed clinical training and certification standards; and improve harmonisation with other health and commercial laws.
He said it should not be simply regulatory in nature, adding that policies should support the growth of the sector.
Heng also wants the facility standards to be tailored specifically for traditional medicine instead of applying Western medical standards.
He said the law must also address the ambiguity in the TCM Act in terms of professional boundaries and scope of practice.
"The scope of different TCM fields, such as Malay traditional medicine, Ayurveda and homeopathy, is not clearly defined, leading to disputes.
"There are also insufficient enforcement details and grey areas regarding how to determine illegal practices or misleading claims," he said.
Heng noted that there are overlaps with laws governing food, supplements and medical devices, adding that advertising is not always clear.