Net petition against TCM draws fire
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-10-19 09:32 The Ministry of Health
and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine have lambasted an
online petition aimed at getting traditional Chinese medicine withdrawn from the
country's healthcare system.
A source with the SATCM said, "The idea of abolishing traditional Chinese
medicine is a denial of science." Zhang Gongyao, a professor with Central South
University, recently launched an online petition calling for the removal of
traditional Chinese medicine from the country's healthcare system.
Some Internet writers said they support the move. However, many more people
wrote to oppose the petition.
Yang Yonghua, a professor with the Hunan Academy of Traditional Chinese
Medicine, said traditional Chinese medicine is undeniably a mainstream medical
treatment method in China. He noted that 50 percent of patients suffering
terminal stage cancer opt for TCM treatments.
A Ministry of Health official said at a recent press conference that
"traditional Chinese medicine is an essential component of China's medical care
sector." Referring to the petition, the SATCM source said people who denied the
historical achievements, current function and scientific basis of traditional
Chinese medicine were clearly ignorant of history. "Thousands of years of
practice demonstrate that people are fond of and deeply trust traditional
Chinese medicine."
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