Overview
The Department of Health and Community Services is exploring an amendment to the Health Professions Act and the Acupuncturists Regulations to expand the scope of regulation of traditional Chinese medicine to include the practice of herbal medicine.
The Health Professions Act defines “traditional Chinese medicine” as the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health and prevention of a disorder, imbalance or disease based on traditional Chinese medicine theory, treatment principles and methodology. Traditional Chinese medicine treatment principles are based on identifying unhealthy influences and processes that may cause or contribute to illness. Unhealthy influences are identified and understood through a series of patterns, processes, and principles that are unique to traditional Chinese medicine.
Under existing legislation, only the practice of acupuncture is regulated. As a regulated profession, registered acupuncturists in the province must comply with competency and conduct standards and must meet registration and licensure requirements. If regulated, similar requirements would be put in place for practitioners of herbal medicine.
Along with acupuncture, herbal medicine is a primary aspect of traditional Chinese medicine practice. Traditional Chinese medicine herbalists offer herbs with properties that counteract or combat unhealthy influences with the aim of stimulating and restoring the body’s natural healing capacity. Those who practice herbal medicine have an understanding of the functions of herbs and how they may counteract the unhealthy influences through application of a traditional Chinese medicine approach to illness and disease. Herbal medicine and herbal remedies recommended in the practice of traditional Chinese medicine may be taken or consumed on their own or compounded into a formula with other herbs. Herbs and herbal medicine recommended in the practice of traditional Chinese medicine range from food-safe herbs to natural health products as regulated by Health Canada.
The Department is seeking input from the public, particularly those who may be uniquely impacted by the proposed expansion, on the potential amendments.
The Act and Regulations can be found here:
Get Involved
The Department of Health and Community Services is offering several options for individuals and organizations to participate and provide input. See details below.
Thank you in advance for your participation.
Online Questionnaire
This questionnaire will be available until February 27, 2025. The questionnaire should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. You may be asked to provide a written explanation of certain answers throughout the questionnaire.
Depending on your answers to the questions, you may be invited to participate in additional discussion with an official of the Department of Health and Community Services. You will be invited to provide contact information if you wish to be contacted for further discussion. Please note that this is not mandatory. Your answers to the questions included in the questionnaire will remain anonymous regardless of whether you choose to participate in any additional discussions.
If you have any questions related to this questionnaire or require an alternate format, please contact TCMfeedback@gov.nl.ca.
Please note you must log in or register to complete the questionnaire.
Click Here to Complete the Questionnaire
Written Submissions
If you prefer to participate with a written contribution, please submit your document using any of the options below.
The deadline for written submissions is February 27, 2025.
Written submissions can be sent by:
Mail:
Legislative and Regulatory Affairs
Department of Health and Community Services
1st Floor, West Block
Confederation Building
P.O. Box 8700
St. John's, NL
A1B 4J6
Email: TCMfeedback@gov.nl.ca
How Will Your Input Be Used?
The information received will be reviewed by the Department of Health and Community Services, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Division. All feedback will be considered in the development of potential amendments to the Health Professions Act and the Acupuncturists Regulations.
Privacy Statement
Please do not include your name or any information that could identify you unless you consent to provide your contact information for the purposes of further discussion. The collection of information is done under the authority of section 61(c) of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015, for the purpose of collecting public feedback on Amendments to the Health Professions Act and Acupuncturists Regulations.
Any personal information that may be received will be governed in accordance with the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015 and will only be used for the purpose of further engagement if necessary.
If you have any questions about how this information will be collected, used and disclosed, please contact TCMfeedback@gov.nl.ca.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or additional comments, please contact TCMfeedback@gov.nl.ca.