Swiss Professional Organization for Traditional Chinese Medicine (SPO-TCM)
Address
Alfred Lienhard Strasse 1
9113 Degersheim
Suisse
T +41 71 372 01 11
F +41 71 372 01 19


Contact

Eveline Roth (secretary)
Markus Steurer (secretary - French)

Gaby Dörig (assistant)

ETCMA Representative

Carla Fuhlrott (president)

Website

In Switzerland healthcare professionals are regulated by the laws of each individual canton or region (Switzerland has a total of 26 cantons). The laws regarding acupuncture and other Chinese herbal modalities vary widely. Doctors (MD) can practise acupuncture and Chinese herbs in all cantons. If they want to be reimbursed for acupuncture by the compulsory social insurance they need to have an ASA-Fähigkeitsausweis, a certificate which requires a minimum education time of 360 hours in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Other modalities of Chinese medicine are not covered by the compulsory social insurance even if performed by a doctor. However, doctors are legally allowed to practise them.

The laws regarding the practice of acupuncture and Chinese medicine by therapists range from prohibitions to legal practice of all modalities to no regulations at all. The practice of acupuncture is regulated in quite a few cantons; SBO-TCM membership or an equal or similar level of education is required for legal practice in many of these cantons. Some cantons administer their own exams.

The practice of Chinese herbal medicine is not regulated in most cantons. Since January 2001, herbal substances have been regarded as medicines by the federal government medicines agency Swissmedic. Thus, in theory, only therapists with legal permission to prescribe and administer Chinese medicines can legally practise Chinese herbal medicine. Such permission is granted in very few cantons. However, as the system is still relatively new, in quite a few cantons the prescribing of Chinese herbs is tolerated. There is no doubt that the regulation of Chinese herbal medicine will change over the coming years. The goal of these changes will be for Chinese herbalists with a nationally recognized education in Chinese herbal medicine to be allowed to prescribe Chinese medicines.

The practice of qigong, Chinese dietary therapy and tui na massage is allowed in most cantons and hardly ever presents a problem.

Insurance reimbursement

Chinese medicine is covered by a special 'alternative medicine supplementary insurance'. People must subscribe to this supplementary insurance in order to be reimbursed. The supplement not only reimburses the cost of Chinese medicine but also a wide variety of other alternative healthcare modalities such as homeopathy, reflexology, kinesiology etc. Many Swiss people subscribe to this supplementary insurance, and so most patients coming for Chinese medicine treatment get reimbursed. This is not limited to acupuncture but also includes herbal medicine, tui na, dietary counselling, qigong classes etc.

In order for the cost of treatment to be reimbursed, most large insurers require the practitioner to be accredited by the Erfahrungsmedizinisches Register (EMR - www.emr.ch). Unfortunately for practitioners, as yet there is no direct link between EMR accreditation and the Swiss Professional Organisation for Chinese Medicine (SBO-TCM). However, the EMR accreditation requirements regarding schooling are very similar to those of the SBO-TCM, and at present they do not demand an independent examination but accept final examinations and diplomas from Chinese medicine schools.

There are also some insurance companies whose cover depends on the practitioner being a member of the SBO-TCM, and others who have requirements of their own, which are usually equal to or less than those of the SBO-TCM or EMR.

The situation for medical doctors is slightly different. Doctors holding a certificate for special education in Chinese medicine (ASA-Fähigkeitsausweis) are reimbursed for acupuncture treatment through the compulsory social insurance system. Hence, all patients are covered for acupuncture. All other modalities are reimbursed via the supplementary insurance, as for therapists (see above).