Traditional
Chinese Medicine Ground in US
For more than 3,000 years,
traditional Chinese medicine was the predominant medical treatment in China. In
recent decades, the practice has gained popularity in the the west.
Herbal medicines and various mind
and body practices, such as acupuncture and tai chi have become a fashionable
way to treat or prevent health problems.
An ancient practice finds its place
in modern society. This is the Beijing Chinese Medicine clinic in Santa Monica,
Los Angeles.
Only one in ten of the patients is a
Chinese American. Jefferey Morris is an attorney and is a frequent visitor to
the clinic. He started using traditional Chinese medicine 20 years ago when he
got sick in Latin America.
When western treatments failed to
cure his illness, he turned to TCM. After a year, he said he was cured. He has
been a convert ever since.
The state of California has formally
adopted acupuncture treatment by the state legislature 30 years ago.
Given its significant effect,
Chinese medicine, including acupuncture has become more popular in the United
States in recent years.
The US National Federation of TCM
Organizations says one in five Americans has used Chinese medicine.
They include politicians,
sportspeople and celebrities. And now, Chinese medicine practitioners now have
also been recognized as medical physicians in the form of law in California.
"The United States has legally
recognized physicians using Chinese medicine. This is a milestone for the
entire industry," said Wu Baolin, president of Chinese Medicine
Association, California.
Several states, including
California, Maryland and Washington have included TCM practices in the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act.
That means a certain amount of
medical expenses for TCM are covered by insurance as an essential health
benefit.
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