Speech by Minister for Health Mr Gan Kim Yong at the Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution’s Foreign Experts TCM Symposium

Distinguished guests

Ladies and gentlemen

Good morning everyone. To our distinguished delegates from overseas, a warm welcome to Singapore.

2          I am happy to be here this morning to officiate the Foreign Experts TCM Symposium, organized by the Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution. I am also very heartened to see many of our local TCM practitioners present today. This demonstrates your commitment to constantly upgrade your professional knowledge and skills to keep pace with changes in the TCM landscape. This will, in turn, enhance the standards of TCM practice. I would like to congratulate the Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution for providing an opportunity for foreign TCM experts to exchange and share their expertise and experience with our local practitioners through this symposium.

3          Singaporeans are living longer. Over the next two decades, Singapore’s population will age rapidly. By 2030, there will be one senior above 65 years of age, for every five of us. As our population ages, the prevention and management of chronic diseases will become increasingly important. Healthcare professionals, including TCM practitioners, must equip and upgrade their professional skills to meet these new challenges.

4          The TCM community has made numerous strides over the past decade, especially in terms of TCM education. In 2005, the Nanyang Technological University launched its double degree programme in biomedical sciences and TCM to equip prospective TCM physicians with knowledge in modern biology and research methods. Since 2006, our local TCM educational institutions have been upgrading their diploma courses to degree-level courses. The educational standards and quality of our TCM practitioners have risen considerably over the last decade. This bodes well for us. With better trained TCM physicians, we can all enjoy better quality of care in TCM health maintenance and disease prevention.

5          It is similarly important to ensure that our regulations evolve constantly with scientific improvements and new discoveries, to keep our healthcare policies relevant.

6          Considerable changes in the regulatory landscape have occurred since 1978, where infrastructures for TCM regulation have gradually evolved in Singapore. The compulsory registration of TCM practitioners in 2002 tightened the standards of TCM practice here. Regulatory control for Chinese Proprietary Medicines (CPM), which are required to be approved by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) before sale, was also implemented in 2001.

7          It was also because of these regulatory enhancements that the HSA is able to facilitate the TCM community’s access to berberine. In 1978, berberine, a naturally occurring substance found in commonly used Chinese herbs such as Rhizoma coptidis and Cortex phellodendri (黄连，黄柏) was prohibited due to local safety concerns that berberine could cause severe jaundice and brain damage in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficient babies. HSA, together with its expert committees, have been monitoring the situation over the years. Ongoing reviews on the safety profile of berberine, including published safety reports on the use of berberine herbs in babies and surveillance reports from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, have been conducted progressively. The review outcome indicated that berberine when used appropriately, is safe for use for the general population..

8          I am pleased to announce that a phased approach will be adopted for the lifting of the prohibition on berberine. This decision is based on the recommendations of HSA's expert committees and in consultation with MOH. For a start, Chinese Proprietary Medicines (CPM) containing berberine that are listed by HSA, such as capsules, oral liquid preparations, powders and granules used by TCM practitioners in their dispensing, will be allowed with effect from 1 January 2013. More details will be announced by HSA shortly. In the absence of major safety issues, HSA will review the possible further lifting of prohibition on Chinese herbs containing berberine by 2015.

9          With this, TCM practitioners will have a wider choice of CPM to help them in their dispensing and practice.  However, a good and competent practitioner must not only possess professional skills and knowledge but also display high levels of moral standards and integrity. Continuous education and elevation of practitioners’ moral standing will help contribute to the growth of the TCM industry, and better serve the needs of our fellow Singaporeans.

10        Finally, I hope everyone will have a fruitful session at today’s symposium.

Thank you.

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海外专家中医药论坛

卫生部长颜金勇 致辞全文

2012年9月22日，早上9点，新加坡同济医院

新加坡同济医院董事会主席 林源利先生

各位来宾

女士们先生们

大家早上好。

非常高兴出席并主持由同济医药研究院主办的《海外专家中医药论坛》开幕仪式；我也非常感谢出席本次讲座及传授心得的海外中医专家教授。

今年也是同济医院庆祝145周年和同济医药研究院成立的10周年。 回顾过去145年以来，同济医院在我们的社区里面为贫困的病人提供许多的医药服务，尤其是免费的医药服务，为我们国家的发展和建设，作出了极大的贡献。像同济医院这类的民间机构和慈善组织，在塑造我们未来的新加坡的社会扮演一个非常重要的角色和模范，来设造一个有包容性的国家。我希望同济医院能够再接再厉，让新加坡更进一步，为我国社会继续作出伟大的贡献。

随着国家的发展，我们的医药卫生的需求，也不断在改变当中。同时我国的人口也不断地老化。到了2030年，我国将有五分之一的人口超过65岁。因此，医疗体系也必须不断演变。所以，继续学习、提升技能的需求就更加地迫切。对此，我非常欣喜地看到在座的新加坡中医界许多注册医师们仍旧孜孜不倦地继续探索、追求、学习新知识，掌握新技能，以面对人口老龄化的挑战。

新加坡中医界，特别是在中医教育这方面，近年取得了许多的进展。南洋理工大学在2005年开办了生物医药科学及中医学双学位课程，旨在让未来的中医师同时也了解现代科学和科研技术。此外，我国的中医学院也在2006年开始把它们的文凭课程提升到学士学位。教育程度的提升无疑促进了中医学在保健和疾病预防与治疗方面的作用。我们可以开拓在能发展中医药临床研究，这能够是我们更加锦上添花。中医药临床研究不仅能作为中西医的桥梁，研究成果也能指导病人和医护人员选择有效的治疗方案。

另一方面，确保我们相关的管理政策能够与时并进，符合现代科学的进步与发展，也是非常重要。

      近年来，我和中医界代表交流时，也常常谈到黄连的使用问题。1978年，小檗碱这种天然存在于常用中药如黄连和黄柏中的生物碱成分，被发现能引起患葡萄糖-6-磷酸脱氢酶 (G6PD) 缺乏症的新生儿严重的黄疸及脑损伤，基于安全考量，被列入《毒药法令》，在本地禁止使用。可是，相比禁令实施时的情况，现今中医药管理方式已大有改善，如在2001年开始对中成药进行全面管理并且2002年起实施中医师注册。这一切都有助于提高中医界的专业水平。

因此，卫生科学局，连同专家委员会，就有关小檗碱的安全课题不断的进行了研讨。研讨内容包括有关小檗碱安全性的科学文献、其它在中医临床使用小檗碱的地区（如：中国、台湾、香港）的不良反应报告，等。评估的结论是，在一般人群中适当使用小檗碱，公众的安全是可以得到保障的。

根据卫生科学局专家委员会的建议，及咨询卫生部专家的意见后，我决定小檗碱将分阶段解禁。自2013年1月1日起，经卫生科学局登记的含有小檗碱成分的中成药将被允许使用，这包括胶囊、水剂、及由中医师配方使用的粉剂、颗粒剂等。卫生科学局将在近期宣布详情。

如果第一阶段使用含有小檗碱的中成药在安全上没有问题，卫生科学局将考虑在2015年允许含有小檗碱的原药材的使用。

含有小檗碱的中成药解禁后，中医师将能有更多的药物为病患解除病痛。但我要强调一点，作为一名医师，一名执业中医师，不仅要有卓越的专业技能，更要注重医德医风的培养，提升自身的道德水准。医学作为一种特殊职业，面对的是有思想、有感情的病人。执业医师担负着解除疾病痛苦，维护和促进人类健康的使命。因此，执业医师在专业活动中，不仅要有精湛的医疗技术，而且在面对各类患者的时候，还需要有亲切的语言、和蔼的态度、高度的责任感、高尚的品格和良好的医学道德情操。只有这样，才能使自己真正成为德才兼备的医学人才，才能担负起“治病救人”的光荣使命。

我希望通过大家的共同努力，开办更多中医延续教育课程，促使我国的卫生保健领域蓬勃发展，增进国人的健康。

在此，让我预祝同济医药研究院举办的《海外专家中医药论坛》圆满成功，各位能够有所收获，将中医药推向更高的层面，为人民服务。

谢谢。