The Challenges Facing Traditional Chinese Medicine in the West

raditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is one of the many complementary therapies/medicines which have become increasingly popular in the West. BBC Radio 4 on 24 February 1999, reported that there is now one in three people in UK who seek healthcare and treatment from an alternative source other than the orthodox medicine. Gregoriadis (1999) reported that 34 percent of those who used complementary medicines have taken the herbal medicine and it also reported that “almost 80 percent of those polled believed such treatment (complementary medicines) will become even more popular.” Leech (1999), the Principal Medical Officer at the National Health Service Executive, emphasized that “primary care groups should not hesitate to offer treatments like osteopathy, acupuncture and homeopathy where appropriate.” Trompetas (1999) offered complementary and alternative medicine as “a very valuable tool in our therapeutic armoury” whilst Paterson (1999) suggested that “patients are voting for T