Regulation of the practice of traditional medicine in China, India, and Malaysia

The trend towards increased traditional medicine utilisation is a global phenomenon. Malaysia is a prime exemplar. However, the regulation of traditional medicine practice there has not kept pace with this trend. Malaysia plans to develop traditional healthcare policies and legislation to integrate traditional medicine into the current formal healthcare system. How this might be most effectively accomplished is the core concern of this thesis.

Currently, the national healthcare policy on traditional medicine is being formulated and implemented, but legislation is not yet in place. The policy challenge is how best to cultivate a standard policy across the various traditional systems. This involves such issues as follow:
 The definition of legal power,
 The framing of rules and regulations, and
 The standardisation of a traditional medicine education system.
In this study, the research questions are as follows:
1. How do India and China regulate traditional medicine practices?
2. What can Malaysia learn from the Indian and Chinese regulatory systems?

To answer these questions, a comparative public policy analysis is conducted on traditional medicine in China and India, both of which have considerable experience in this area. The data is primarily gathered through in-depth interviews of three professional groups; policy makers, academics, and traditional medicine practitioners from the three countries.

Both China and India have well-established traditional medicine systems and considerable legislative and regulatory experience, but have adopted radically different approaches. In China, traditional medicine has been integrated into the mainstream healthcare system. Indian systems of medicine are practised in parallel to modern medicine. The question arises of which strategy, or which components, Malaysia should adopt.

While traditional medicine is scheduled for integration into Malaysia’s mainstream healthcare system, policy does not guarantee equality with modern medicine. Moreover, the policy of one country may not be suitable for another country. Malaysia could recast the models of China and India, and establish a comprehensive policy on traditional medicine. Integrating traditional medicine into the mainstream healthcare system would be facilitated by an inclusive, consultative and formalised process of professionalisation.
3. How can the intention to regulate be justified?
4. What would be the best way to achieve and oversee this regulatory system?