The Integration of Chinese Medicine Into Mainstream Medicine
The integration of Chinese Medicine into mainstream healthcare can only be achieved if the philosophy and practice of biomedicine are accepted by all practitioners alike.
Western Medicine (WM) and Chinese Medicine (CM) are the two most extensively used medical systems throughout the world today, the two systems were integrated successfully throughout China in 1949 when Chairman Mao developed the Chinese health care system into one more adequate for the population of China. Chairman Mao is quoted to have said ‘Although we should have an all-round and correct understanding of Chinese medicine, Chinese medicine also has to transform itself. We must accept this slice of our old heritage critically. To look down upon Chinese medicine is not correct. To claim that everything about Chinese medicine is good, or too good, this is also not correct. Chinese and Western medicines must unite.’ (Taylor, 2004) To date, across China, 95% of WM hospitals have a CM department (Robinson, 2006, p132).
In order to discuss the proposition that the integration of CM into mainstream healthcare can only be achieved if the philosophy and practice of biomedicine are accepted by all practitioners, it will be necessary to review what CM is how it was introduced to the United Kingdom (UK) and to define what the philosophies and practices of CM and WM are. CM in the UK is thought of as a complementary medicine which is defined by Ernst (1995) in a letter to the British Journal of General Practice as ‘...diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention which complements mainstream medicine by contributing to a common whole, by satisfying a demand not met by orthodoxy or by diversifying the conceptual frameworks of medicine’ (Ernst, 1995, p506)
CM was introduced to the UK with the arrival of thousands of Chinese immigrants during the 60s and 70s but grew in popularity in 1971 when the international media reported that President Nixon, who was visiting China, received acupuncture following an
Western Medicine (WM) and Chinese Medicine (CM) are the two most extensively used medical systems throughout the world today, the two systems were integrated successfully throughout China in 1949 when Chairman Mao developed the Chinese health care system into one more adequate for the population of China. Chairman Mao is quoted to have said ‘Although we should have an all-round and correct understanding of Chinese medicine, Chinese medicine also has to transform itself. We must accept this slice of our old heritage critically. To look down upon Chinese medicine is not correct. To claim that everything about Chinese medicine is good, or too good, this is also not correct. Chinese and Western medicines must unite.’ (Taylor, 2004) To date, across China, 95% of WM hospitals have a CM department (Robinson, 2006, p132).
In order to discuss the proposition that the integration of CM into mainstream healthcare can only be achieved if the philosophy and practice of biomedicine are accepted by all practitioners, it will be necessary to review what CM is how it was introduced to the United Kingdom (UK) and to define what the philosophies and practices of CM and WM are. CM in the UK is thought of as a complementary medicine which is defined by Ernst (1995) in a letter to the British Journal of General Practice as ‘...diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention which complements mainstream medicine by contributing to a common whole, by satisfying a demand not met by orthodoxy or by diversifying the conceptual frameworks of medicine’ (Ernst, 1995, p506)
CM was introduced to the UK with the arrival of thousands of Chinese immigrants during the 60s and 70s but grew in popularity in 1971 when the international media reported that President Nixon, who was visiting China, received acupuncture following an