VANCOUVER — Tom Whitfield takes the ferry from Nanaimo every Monday to a traditional Chinese medicine clinic in downtown Vancouver for acupuncture and other treatments.
The excursion sometimes takes a full day, but the former Qualicum Beach forester said the effort is worth it and he has relieved about 90 percent of the cheek pain he suffered after skin cancer surgery.
He believes in traditional Chinese medicine, but said he would not trust treatment or herbal medicine to an unlicensed practitioner.
This is causing concern for both patients and licensed practitioners as the industry grapples with the provincial government's plans to deregulate the prescribing, formulation and dispensing of traditional Chinese herbal medicines, which are currently restricted.
The move, which will open access to such treatment to unlicensed practitioners, is scheduled to take place in April when the new Health Professions Act comes into force.
Whitfield said the move “doesn't make any sense” and he's concerned that medications from an unlicensed practitioner could make him sick.
“I can't buy medicine from just anyone and not even know what's in it,” said Whitfield, who just received treatment at a clinic run by Dr. John Yang, who also heads Kwantlen Polytechnic University's traditional Chinese medicine program.
“It could be carcinogenic, for all I know it could be anything, and there's no going back unless that person is accredited,” Whitfield said.
Yang, who has both a medical background and traditional medicine qualifications from China, said the province's planned changes are “deeply concerning” for many licensed medical practitioners.
Practitioners held a press conference last week condemning the plan, and on Tuesday Yang organized a rally against it that drew about 100 protesters in pouring rain.
He said deregulation could jeopardize public health while undermining the integrity and credibility of the profession.
The Department of Health did not immediately respond to a request for comment but said it could arrange an interview with Health Secretary Josie Osborne.
In 2003, British Columbia became the first province to require traditional Chinese medicine practitioners to register with the province.
Becoming a licensed practitioner often requires about four years of study to earn a diploma or bachelor's degree, while students must pass exams and complete clinical practice, Yang said.
“Only a well-trained and licensed professional knows how to navigate and create balance between different herbal ingredients while applying the correct amount of dosage,” Yang said.
“If some medicinal herbs are used in excessive doses or for long periods of time, it can cause harm to the body,” Yang said.
Yang is also concerned that the province's move could dampen students' interest in enrolling in KPU's Traditional Chinese Medicine program.
“If you don't need a license to prescribe Chinese medicine, then why do students have to go through a rigorous training process to learn? Of course, this move will also jeopardize the profession and undermine qualified practitioners who have spent years studying and training.”
Yang said their concerns have not yet been heard.
“The provincial government does not show any respect for traditional Chinese medicine professionals, creating a sense of injustice towards us,” Yang said.
Acupuncturist practitioner Rongan Li, who has trained thousands of acupuncturists since 2003, said the goal is not to politicize the issue.
“Let me put it this way: If someone without professional training or authority is prescribing Traditional Chinese Medicine to our Prime Minister or British Columbia's Minister of Health, I just want to ask them: Do you dare take it?” – Lee asked.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2026.
