The College has been made aware that members are concerned about the Policy on Complementary and Alternative Medicine from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO). Certain stakeholders have asked that the College negotiate with the CPSO on behalf of its members. We would like to clarify some information for our members.
Firstly, this policy is not a new policy. The Council of the CPSO first approved this policy issue in 1997. It has since been updated in 2004, and 2011. The current consultation is for new proposed draft updates. The draft updates largely involve further specifying the conditions in which a physician can provide complementary and alternative medicine, and reinforces physicians’ responsibilities for practicing within their scope of practice.
Secondly, this policy applies to members of the CPSO only. Members of CTCMPAO who are not registered with the CPSO are not subject to this policy. The College does not have a similar policy that would apply to our members.
Thirdly, while the College maintains a collaborative relationship with our regulatory partners, and provides feedback where appropriate, it would be inappropriate for the College to advocate on behalf of the profession. The College’s mandate is to regulate the profession of traditional Chinese medicine in the public interest. Therefore, any feedback will be made through that lens.
We would like to remind members that the College can be used as a direct source of information on regulatory matters. If you have any questions about the College’s policies or processes, or those of another regulator, please feel free to reach out to us directly for information. We will always be happy to help our members understand the regulatory framework that they work in. You can contact us by email at info@ctcmpao.on.ca or by phone at (416) 238-7359.
