Administration and Education

of Chinese Medicine in Taiwan

Chieh-Hsi Wu
Vice President
Taipei Medical University
Taiwan
Citations: The Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in
Taiwan- Ministry of Health and Welfare (mohw.gov.tw)
Evolutionary Path for Traditional Chinese Medicine
Management in Taiwan
• The administrative system for Traditional Chinese Medicine Management
changed several times as the government system was reformed from the
first year of the Republic of China (1911) until now.

• The TCM Committee was set up under the Department of Health within
the Ministry of the Interior after the government relocated to Taiwan. This
committee provided advice and recommendations to health authorities
regarding the development of TCM.

• The Department of Health was transferred from under the Ministry of

Interior to the Executive Yuan in 1971. The TCM Committee has remained
since its establishment by the Executive Yuan.
Evolutionary Path for Traditional Chinese Medicine
Management
• TCM management services grew rapidly due to strong worldwide demand
for TCM. The Committee of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy was officially
established by the Executive Yuan on November 1, 1995.

• This institution is not only an administrative service, but is also a critical

point in TCM development history.

• The Committee includes four services teams: Chinese medicine, Chinese

pharmacy, research and development, information resources and records.

• It is also responsible for TCM administration and services promotion.

Evolutionary Path for Traditional Chinese Medicine
Management
• Owing to the reorganization of the Executive Yuan, the Ministry of
Health and Welfare (MOHW) was established on July 23, 2013 to
combine the former original Department of Health of the Executive
Yuan with the social service administration responsibilities of the
Ministry of the Interior.

• The TCM Committee of the Health Department in the Executive Yuan

was incorporated into the Ministry of Health and Welfare and re-
named as the Department of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy
(DCMP). The position was upgraded from a level three to a level two
institution.
Organization of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW)
Organization Structure for the Department of Chinese
Medicine and Pharmacy
 Functions of the Department of Chinese Medicine
and Pharmacy in the Ministry of Health and Welfare
• Planning and promotion of administrative policies for TCM and
related regulations.
• Planning and promotion of policies for medical human resource
growth, the administration of TCM workers, and related regulations.
• Planning and promotion of administrative policies for TCM health care
facilities and related regulations.
• Planning and promotion of administrative policies for TCM and herbs,
quality improvement and related regulations.
• Other items regarding Traditional Chinese Medicine administration.
 The Formulation of Chinese Medicine and
Pharmacy Development Act
• I. The Promotion Course

• II. The Focus of the Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy Development

Act

• III. The Effects of the Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy Development

Act
 I. The Promotion Course
Measures to achieve these goals involve:

1. Planning and promotion of TCM development projects,

2. Implementation of TCM healthcare services,
3. Promotion of Chinese pharmaceutical industry quality and
development
4. Co-existence of traditional knowledge and innovative scientific
development
5. Enhancement of TCM research and talent development,
6. The sharing of Taiwan's TCM experiences with the international
community
Presidential Office Gazette of Chinese
Medicine and Pharmacy Development Act
II. The Focus of the Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy
Development Act
Promoting sustainable development of Chinese Medicine and
Pharmacy policies.

• The act calls for a central competent authority to formulate development

plans for Chinese medicine and pharmacy every five years in order to
secure the necessary financial and administrative resources
• The establishment of research funds for TCM and searching for new
financial resources to maintain TCM research capacity and transform
results of evidence-based research into practical applications
• Promotion of TCM R&D and provision of appropriate incentives or
subsidies to promote innovative development of Chinese pharmaceutics
and cultivation of medicinal plants.
 Sustainability of TCM
• To promote the sustainable development of TCM, the Ministry is
planning a prospective TCM development blueprint in line with the
fundamental vision of the Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy
Development Act

• The aim is to perfect TCM healthcare, strengthen TCM industry and

quality management, promote research development and talent
training, and showcase the unique features of Taiwan's TCM, while
exerting influence in the international community for the purpose of
health and well-being for all.
The Vision of the Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy
Development Act
III. The Effects of the Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy
Development Act
• To strengthen management of the quality control of TCM, we referenced
domestic and international development trends to revise the Taiwan
Herbal Pharmacopeia, amending the limit standards for abnormal
substances in TCM ingredients (such as sulfur dioxide, heavy metals,
aflatoxins and pesticide residues).

• For TCM concentrated preparations, we will gradually devise standards for

the concentration of marker component, improving quality control of TCM
products. In the future, we also plan to devise related regulations to
enhance the monitoring of marketed TCM preparation and ingredient, in
order to safeguard the use of TCM for the general public.
Chinese Medicine Physicians
for Clinical Training
Human Resource Training for Chinese Medicine Physicians

Table 1: Enrollment at Chinese Medicine schools in Taiwan

Chinese Medicine Physician Clinical Training
The clinical training system was set up to improve the competency of Chinese medicine
physicians. The implementation was divided into 3 phases to promote clinical tuitionary
training of Chinese medicine physicians. The implementation plan for each phase is as follows:

➢ Design the blueprint for a Chinese medicine physician clinical training system
II. Continuing Education
1. Continuing Education for Chinese Medicine Physicians

• According to Item 2, Article 8 in the Physicians Act, Chinese medicine physicians

should pursue continuing education during practice. Also practice license renewal
requires the certification of completed continuing education every 6 years.

2. Chinese Medicine Nursing Training

• According to article 24.1.4 of the Nursing Personnel Act, nursing personnel can perform
Chinese medical assistance activities. Universities and colleges with nursing departments
have been encouraged to open a Chinese medicine nursing curriculum. The Ministry set the
"Guidelines of Elective Subjects and Credits for Chinese Medicine Nursing Training" in
2000 (there are 7 subjects and 9 credits; including general knowledge of Chinese medicine,
general knowledge of Chinese pharmacy, Chinese medicine cuisine, acupuncture nursing,
trauma nursing, Chinese medicine nursing and practical training for Chinese medicine
nursing). Nursing organizations are subsidized to conduct Chinese medicine nursing training
each year. A total of 3,166 nurses completed the "7 subjects and 9 credits" training programs by
the end of 2019.
The Requirements of Chinese Medicine
Courses for Pharmacists Practicing
Chinese Medicine Prescribing and
Dispensing

衛部中字第1091860623號;臺教高(五)字第1090072630A號 令
2020.5.28
 Total 17 Credits of Chinese Medicine Courses

Pharmaceutical botany 2.0

Introduction of chinese medicine and pharmacy 2.0
Pharmacognosy(I) 2.0
Chinese material medical 2.0
Pharmacognosy laboratory 1.0
Pharmacognosy(II ) 2.0
Prescription of chinese drugs 2.0
Prescription of chinese drugs laboratory 1.0
Herb processing 2.0
Herb processing laboratory 1.0
 Sites for Chinese Medicine Practice

Pharmacy TCM Plants Traders of TCM

Pharmacy Stores
Concentrating Plants TCM Stores
(Western/TCM)

Traditional Pharmaceutical
Hospitals TCM Traders
Plants for TCM
Core Competences for TCM Practicing

Materials
Management
Manufacturing
of TCM

Clinical
Dispensing
Thanks for your Attention