Speech by Senior Minister of State for Health Mr Chee Hong Tat at the Convocation of the NTU-BUCM Double Degree Programme

陶晓华教授 Professor Tao Xiaohua,
Vice President, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine

王琦教授 Professor Wang Qi,
Vice President, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine

Professor Ling San,
Dean, NTU College of Science

Professor Peter Preiser,
Chair, NTU School of Biological Sciences

Graduands, parents, ladies and gentlemen.

           Congratulations to the graduating class of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Biomedical Science and Chinese Medicine Programme. I am happy to join all of you here today to celebrate this important milestone in your life journey.

2.        I also want to recognise the people who have helped you reach this milestone – your family, professors and friends who have given you unwavering support and encouraged you when you met with challenges.

Additional $5 million to support TCM Research

3.        Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) plays a useful complementary role to western medicine in Singapore, including in disease prevention and health management. Like many Singaporeans, including some doctors in our healthcare institutions, my family and I use TCM.  As the demand for TCM rises in Singapore, we have to continue to raise the standards and skills of TCM professionals and modernise the practice of TCM using scientific methods and evidence-based research.  These steps are important for patient safety and well-being, and to attract more young Singaporeans to join the industry.  Tradition and science can co-exist - it is not about choosing one or the other. It is about integrating the best practices from both traditional and scientific domains.  

4.        Over the past few years, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has worked with the TCM industry to put in place measures to raise professionalism and enhance treatment safety and efficacy. For instance, we started the TCM Research Grant in 2014 to encourage collaborative research on prevalent chronic conditions in Singapore. We have received positive responses for the past two grant calls. A total of 47 proposals have been submitted. The TCM Research Advisory Committee is currently evaluating and shortlisting proposals for the second grant call. 

5.        For the first grant call, the five shortlisted proposals have been making good progress. One of them involves the use of TCM to treat dry eyes. This is a collaboration between Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) and Singapore Chung Hwa Medical

6.        Institution on the effects of acupuncture and herbal medication on the treatment of dry eyes. The clinical trial found that acupuncture helped with the treatment and significantly reduced conjunctival redness, compared to the standard therapy of using artificial tears. Another study by Singapore General Hospital (SGH) showed that acupuncture had a positive effect on pain relief during oocyte retrieval in In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).  Patients receiving acupuncture required less top-up of additional pain relief and had a higher pregnancy rate than the control group using standard sedation.  These results are very encouraging, and with further research and testing, I hope they can be incorporated in our mainstream treatment procedures across the healthcare system in the future. 

7.        To promote the translation of TCM knowledge into better care and improved health outcomes, MOH will provide a further funding of $5 million over the next five years for the Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Grant (TCMRG) to support collaborative research between researchers in public healthcare institutions, TCM industry players and the institutes of higher learning.

8.        In addition, MOH has extended the scope supported by the grant beyond clinical research to include research on traditional Chinese exercises such as taiji and baduanjin, therapies like TCM tuina and health-related studies targeted at promoting health, preventing diseases and improving patient outcomes. These include the use of TCM medicinal herbs and products in health promotion and disease prevention.  I encourage our doctors and scientists to keep an open mind to the potential value which TCM can offer, and work with the TCM industry to conduct evidence-based research and studies to verify the efficacy of TCM methods and products.  The beneficiaries of all these efforts are our patients.  To paraphrase Mr Deng Xiaoping, it does not matter if the medicine’s origins are Western or TCM, medicine which can cure diseases and keep the patient healthy is good medicine (不管是中药还是西药，能养生治病的药就是好药). 

9.        I also encourage all of you, our NTU graduands, to take the lead in this area. With your background in biomedical science and training in TCM, you are well positioned to work with the various healthcare and TCM institutions to drive research activities that can further enhance the safety and efficacy of TCM treatments.

Lifelong learning and continuous improvement 

10.        Convocation may mark the end of your studies at NTU, but it also marks the start of your career. As new knowledge and technologies continually emerge from different countries and different sectors, it is important for you to embrace lifelong learning and continue to grow professionally. Respect and understand our current practices and traditions, but do not be trapped by them as progress requires fresh ideas and new ways of doing things.  To enhance professional development, the TCM Practitioners’ Board has put in place a structured Continuous TCM Education (CTE) programme for registered TCM practitioners. Currently, CTE is a voluntary item, and all registered TCM practitioners are encouraged to fulfil at least 25 CTE points per year. With support from the TCM industry, we intend to make CTE a requirement for the renewal of practising certificates. This will align Singapore’s TCM registration requirements with overseas jurisdictions. The requirement will take effect after we amend the TCM Practitioners’ Act.  We will provide a transition period.  I urge all TCM practitioners to start preparing for this, so that you refresh your skills and knowledge and keep up to date with the latest TCM developments.

11.        To maintain public trust and ensure patient safety, TCM practitioners must continue to maintain high standards of professional conduct and ethics. We will take firm action against TCM practitioners who do not abide by the prescribed professional conduct and ethical standards. If anyone practises TCM illegally or abuses their TCM registration to carry out illegal activities such as vice-related businesses in their clinic, let me be clear that once we catch them, we will deal with them with an iron hand.  Some of you may have read media reports earlier this year about a TCM practitioner who operated some TCM outlets providing sexual services. He has been fined $24,000 under the Massage Establishments Act, and the TCMP Board is also looking at taking disciplinary actions against him.  The authorities and TCM industry leaders have to take a united stand against these black sheep because we must not allow them to tarnish the reputation of our TCM sector and affect the safety and well-being of patients.  

Establishment of $5 million TCM Developmental Grant

12.        On a more positive note, I am pleased to announce that MOH will establish a $5 million TCM Development Grant to support skills development and capability building for TCM professionals. The grant will help in three ways. First, it will provide co-funding for training and professional development of all registered TCM practitioners, including TCM allied healthcare workers such as clinic assistants and herbal dispensers listed with TCM Practitioners’ Board. 

13.        Second, to enhance the quality of TCM training programmes, the Grant will also provide funding support to TCM course providers who are accredited by the TCM Practitioners’ Board. We want to encourage TCM course providers to organise more local TCM conferences, seminars and workshops on topics of interest to the public. 

14.        Last but not least, the Grant will support TCM service providers to improve their operational efficiency by adopting IT solutions and harnessing technology to improve access to latest healthcare information, enhance service delivery and facilitate R&D activities. In addition, we will provide support to improve existing facilities for improved infection control and to better meet the needs of our ageing population. Applications for the TCM Development Grant will open from January next year. 

Conclusion 

15.        In closing, I hope you will continue to pursue your dreams with passion and perseverance, as you embark on a meaningful career that will touch the lives of many patients and their families. Congratulations once again on your graduation. I wish you every success in your future endeavours. Thank you.