Alternative Medicine Requires Regulation
另類治療應納規管 避免劣幣驅逐良幣
文章日期:2013年4月12日

雙語社評齊齊聽

英語 (足本收聽)

普通話 (足本收聽)

【明報專訊】NATUROPATHY is generally considered to be a form of alternative medicine which makes no use of drugs and surgery. As reported in this newspaper, a reader some time earlier informed us that he had received treatment from a naturopath who called himself a "doctor", but to no effect. We have carried out an investigation into the matter and found that many naturopathic clinics have naturopaths who give themselves the title of "doctor" on their business cards. We emailed to the Department of Health copies and photographs of some of these business cards and the promotional messages displayed at the clinics' doors. In its reply, the Department of Health says there are reasons to believe that some people may have violated ordinances like the Medical Registration Ordinance and the Undesirable Medical Advertisements Ordinance.

英語

自然療法被視為另類療法,不鼓勵服藥、動手術。本報報道,早前有讀者向本報投訴,有自然療法師自稱為「醫生」,且治療後病情未見好轉,本報及後偵查發現,有多間自然療法診所的治療師名片上寫上自然療法「醫生」的銜頭。本報把部分自稱「醫生」的自然療法師卡片,以及自然療法診所門口的宣傳字樣相片,電郵給衛生署,衛生署回覆稱,有理由懷疑有人可能觸犯法例,例如《醫生註冊條例》及《不良廣告(醫藥)條例》。

普通話

There are very strict regulations for the registration of medical practitioners and nursing staff in Hong Kong, and the established practice is that only those with proper Western medical training can be called doctors. However, while there are also strict regulations governing dentists, nurses, physiotherapists, and opticians, there are no regulations governing naturopaths.

英語

本港對專業醫護人員的註冊有嚴格限制,過去只有受過嚴格西醫訓練的才可稱為醫生,而牙醫、護士、物理治療師、視光師等亦有嚴格規定,但卻沒有特定法例監管自然療法師。

普通話

It must be pointed out that those who practise alternative medicine are not necessarily quacks or charlatans, and should not be prejudiced against by the public. But since naturopaths are not governed by any regulations, it has often been found that they differ widely in professional ethics and practices. Now some naturopaths have gone so far as to call themselves "doctors". Has the law been violated? Have patients been misled or deceived by some naturopaths, as a result of which they have failed to get timely treatment or even received wrong or harmful treatment? These are questions that the authorities should not overlook. To protect patients, the government must crack down on quacks and charlatans by strictly enforcing the relevant regulations.

英語

在傳統醫療系統以外執業行醫的,不一定就是「黃綠醫生」甚或「神棍」,社會不應戴上有色眼鏡看待另類療法的治療師。只是,既然目前沒有特定法例監管自然療法師,業界醫德及營運手法良莠不齊時有聽聞,如今更出現有治療師用上「醫生」的頭銜,當中會否出現誤導、欺騙,甚至違法的情况,會否有病人因而延誤醫治,甚至接受錯誤及有害的治療,醫療監管當局不能坐視不理。政府必須嚴格執行現行的相關法例,把欺騙病人的害群之馬繩之於法,保障病人權益。

普通話

Of course the strict enforcement of the law does not mean putting an end to naturopathy in Hong Kong. In recent years, many people have accused the traditional Western medical industry of hegemony - of trying to establish a medical monopoly by outlawing, with the help of rules and regulations, all other schools of medicine. At the same time, proponents of alternative medicine have been vocal. The regulation of Chinese medicine is a highly illuminating example.

英語

只是,嚴格執法不代表要把自然療法「趕盡殺絕」。事實上近年不少人質疑傳統西醫西藥只是一種霸權,再配以相關的法例規管,趕絕所有非我族類的醫療方法,變成醫療壟斷,因此近年有人提倡另類的治療方法。中醫藥的規範化就是極具參考價值的例子。

普通話

Chinese medicine was once the subject of much prejudice in Hong Kong, and was even branded as a kind of pseudoscience. There were also unscrupulous as well as conscientious practitioners. However, as a result of the Chinese medical industry's sustained campaign, a registration and regulation mechanism for the industry has been established, and now Chinese medicine constitutes an alternative to traditional Western medicine.

英語

中醫在香港過去一直備受歧視,甚至被指摘為偽科學,業界亦良莠不齊,但經過業界多番爭取,終於建立了相關的註冊及規範制度,為病人提供傳統西醫以外的另類選擇。

普通話

Naturopathy may follow in the footsteps of Chinese medicine. In Canada and in parts of the United States there are registration mechanisms for naturopaths, so that those qualified may become licensed "doctors of naturopathy". The government should take the initiative and, in consultation with the naturopathic industry, help it establish an authoritative trade association. A regulatory mechanism and professional guidelines should also be developed so as to weed out quacks and charlatans from the industry, and prevent them from doing any more harm.

英語

自然療法也應參考中醫藥的例子。自然療法在加拿大及美國部分地區有註冊制度,合資格人士可註冊成為「自然療法醫生」,政府應主動與自然療法業界商討,協助業界成立權威的業界組織,建立監管制度,制訂行醫守則,揪出「呃神騙鬼」的騙徒,免其遺害人間。

普通話

明報社評 2013.02.19

Presented by lecturers of Hong Kong Community College, PolyU and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Danny Chan

Lecturer, HKCC

http://www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/index.php?lang=eng&cms=782

袁振華

理大中文及雙語學系講師

http://www.cbs.polyu.edu.hk/staffs/Yuen-David.php

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