To the Editor: The Chinese Medicine Registration Board of Victoria would like to provide updated information relevant to the debate on the article by Parker.1

All practitioners of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in Victoria are now legally required to register. The Chinese Medicine Registration Act 2000 (Vic) specifically includes transitional arrangements, and the Board has developed a “grandparenting policy” for assessing registration applications until 31 December 2004.

There are six key assessment areas for all applicants:

• adequacy of qualification (minimum requirements);

• recency of practice;

• competence;

• good character;

• fitness to practise; and

• having the required professional indemnity insurance, first aid and effective communication arrangements.

Details are available at www.cmrb.vic.gov.au. To date, 740 practitioners have become registered, and 11.5% of applicants have had a registration refusal or conditions imposed.

After the grandparenting period, new applicants will be required to complete an approved course or pass an examination set by the Board. The Board will consider advanced diploma courses for approval up until December 2007, after which the minimum level will be a bachelor degree.

Complaints are handled according to the Act, which is modelled on the medical (and other health) practice Acts. The current Victorian model dictates that the Board include two non-practitioners, one legally qualified member and six practitioners with a minimum of 5 years practice experience. Very specific steps must be taken in dealing with complaints, and 28 complaints have already been investigated. The issues of concern include infection control, advertising, professional ethics and communication with patients.

Other boards (not medical practitioners) have asked us to assist with endorsement of their registrants, mainly for acupuncture. The Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria plans to ask medical practitioners seeking endorsement for Chinese herbal medicine to register directly with us.

We hope this information will help contribute to informed debate on the regulation of complementary and alternative medicine.