TCM was not regulated in Singapore until TCM Practitioners Act was passed in November 2000. This means that local physicians will need credentials from recognized TCM schools and must passed a qualifying examinations before they can practise in Singapore.
The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioners Board is empowered under the TCM Practitioners Act to handle complaints against registered TCM practitioners. To help investigation, the public can provide the details and evidence supporting the complaint to the following address :
Executive Secretary
TCM Practitioners Board
226 Outram Road, Block A #02-01
Singapore 169039
Tel : 6236 1080
Fax : 6236 1947
Email : tcmb_enquiries@tcmb.gov.sg
Most people have high regards for Chinese Physicians with PHD and doctorate degrees. Based on our personal experience and feedback from other cancer patients, they may not necessarily provide better care and treatment.
We would like to highlight the following quotes from the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine.
Quotes From The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine
"A good healer cannot depend on skill alone. He must also have the correct attitude, sincerity, compassion and a sense of responsibility. The patient must also be aware of his or her body in order to recognize signs and symptoms and imbalances. That patient can then seek remedies at the earliest possible moment. When doctor and patient are in a state of harmony, the illness will not linger or become terminal."
"A physician needs to possess a moral conscience, ethical conduct, and a compassionate attitude toward those in need of attention. In all interactions with patients, the physician is always composed, takes the necessary time, remains objective, and performs every procedure with the utmost care and precision."
We also strongly recommend that the patients and their families bear in mind the following points :
- Prescription needs to be reviewed regularly
No single prescription can be consumed throughout one's illness. The patient's condition changes and need to be reviewed on a regular basis. Therefore, it will be advisable to seek consultation from local physician who can be consulted at any time.
Seeking consultations from visiting professors and physicians may become a setback as no rapport and follow-up can be made. Bearing in mind the above quote from The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine, not every patient will receive greater benefit from visiting professors and physicians.
- Consultation fee
Usually, consultation fee should not exceed S$50/- for the first visit. Repeated consultation fee ranges from S$10/- to S$30/- per visit.
- Medicinal herbs
A caring physician will closely examine his patient's condition and prescribe medicinal herbs that is usually a "customized prescription" unique to each patient's illness. He will avoid prescribing expensive herbs such as ginseng, lingzhi and yunzhi that may not necessarily have beneficial effects on all types of cancer. Even though they may be effective for certain types of cancer and the individual patient, he will be concerned about their cost-effectiveness. Therefore he will prescribe cheaper herbs that can also produce similar good results.
According to the American Cancer Society's Guide to Complementary and Alternative Cancer Methods, there are several known side effects associated with the use of ginseng. Ginseng has been known to cause hypertension, headaches, insomnia, restlessness, and in women, swollen breasts and vaginal bleeding. Some physicians believe it can cause breast cancer to re-occur in women who have had the disease previously.
- Cost of medicinal herbs
Most Chinese herbs are inexpensive and the cost of a prescription of herbs should not exceed S$15/- per day. Usually, the cost is about S$6/- to S$8/- per day.
- Quality control of herbs
Most physicians do not operate their own herbal pharmacies. In order to protect the patient's interest, a caring physician will exercise 'quality control' over his prescription of herbs bought from an external source. If the physician spots fake or sub-standard herbs or find the cost too expensive or unreasonable, he will advise his patient to buy herbs from a more reliable source.
- Nutritional advice
For better management of patient's illness, a caring physician will also offer advice on the type of diet and food to be taken by his patient. Nutrients can easily be obtained from our daily food. Therefore cancer patients are discouraged from spending money on health supplements and vitamins.
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