The General Council of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the UK (abbreviated as GCTCM) was established on 28th February 2002. The GCTCM is a general council which unites those engaging in Traditional Chinese Medicine: TCM practitioners, Chinese medicine suppliers and proprietors or managers of TCM clinics.

 

The aim of the GCTCM is the continued existence and development of TCM in the UK, to promote the quality of TCM for patients by a higher standard of safety, efficacy and ethics, and to safeguard the rights and interests of TCM.

 

GCTCM maintains that all TCM associations in the UK are equal and independent but advocates that they are united in their aim to defend TCM. Safety is clearly a key issue for everyone. The GCTCM calls on all members to bear a common responsibility for patients. The GCTCM supports the statutory regulation of TCM; asks every member to abide by the law; rigidly controls the quality of medicines. We will keep close contact with the government regarding such projects and co-operate with them, in particular to assist in the successful incorporation of TCM into the NHS.

 

The merit of TCM lies in its efficacy. The GCTCM will strictly examine and verify all levels of qualification of practitioners and draw up a standard of basic education and CPD scheme to improve the level of practitioners. We have organized some special sub-committees including one for issues regarding patients’ complaints.

 

TCM in the UK, is a kind of ethnic medicine. We will try our best to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of TCM. We shall combat any form of discrimination against TCM. This is in accordance with the European Human Rights Act. TCM has made a major contribution to human health for more than two millennia, which has proven the value of its existence and it is continuing this proof by clinical efficacy. Not only that, but also there is ever-increasing modern scientific evidence showing that TCM theory is a form of ecological medical theory which will radiate great influence in the development of medicine in the future. We will defend TCM as a comprehensive system and promote it.