Chinese Herbal Medicine Safety

How do we ensure patient’s safety when prescribing Chinese herbal medicines?

As registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners, we are required by national law to follow the Guidelines for safe Chinese herbal medicine practice set out by our national registration body, the Chinese Medicine Board (AHPRA). For some FAQ relating to the Guidelines for safe practice of Chinese herbal medicine, please click here.

To further ensure your safety, we only ever stock and prescribe Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved herbal medicines. This includes all patented products such as pills and capsules.

Our herbal dispensary (we have over 200 single Chinese herbs) is stocked with Chinese Herbal Medicine extracts in a dried concentrated granule form, which we use to prescribe individualised Chinese herbal medicine teas to our patients. These custom made teas can often contain 3-15 different herbs to make up a patient’s unique formula. The single Chinese herbs we use are made in Taiwan by KPC Herbs. For a link to information about their quality and safety assurance, please click here.

Endangered Animal & Plant species

Do we use endangered animal or plant species?

No.  Here at Torquay Chinese Medicine, we neither use, nor support or condone the use of, any endangered animal or plant species.

Australia is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora which is known as the CITES agreement. It is underpinned by provisions in Australian Government legislation, namely in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Some animal and plant parts have been traditionally used in Chinese medicine from what have now become endangered species.

While some herbs are endangered in the wild, they are now cultivated. However, these still require import/export permits.

As registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners registered with the national board (AHPRA), we strongly support and strictly adhere to the moral and legal obligations to protect endangered species.

Vegetarians & Vegans

I’m vegetarian or vegan, do your herbal medicines contain animal products?

The majority of our Chinese herbal medicines have a plant origin. Some of our single herbs and patented pills/capsules, although very few, contain animal products. For example ‘Muli’ (oyster shell). We respect all patients beliefs and choices, and ask every new patient if they are vegetarian or vegan in order to respect your wishes. Furthermore, the herbal ingredients of everything we prescribe will always be listed on the label.