Nederlandse Vereniging voor Traditionele Chinese Geneeskunde (ZHONG)

Dutch Association of Chinese Traditional Medicine 
Salverdaplein 15
6700 AG  Wageningen
Netherlands

T +31 317 423505 
info@zhong.nl

Website www.zhong.nl

Founding date of the organization: 1993

Membership information

Members: 859

Member categories

• Practicing membership: persons graduated at Bachelor level in a TCM discipline and basics of Western medicine (WMB) at an institute recognized by Zhong and practicing for at least 2 day parts per week on average
• Student membership: persons having finished the basics in TCM and studying at an institute recognized by Zhong 

Membership fee

• Practicing member: € 420,- (per calendar year, 2021) 
• Student member: € 80,- (per calendar year, 2021) 

Basic training required

A+B needs to meet 240 ECs

A.- Basic western medicine and psychology op HBO-level accredited by CPION of SNRO with at least 40 EC’s,

B.- three-years education on one of the disciplines of TCM on HBO-level at a by Zhong accredited education

Certificate of Good Conduct 
First Aid certificate 
Medical Ethics 
Health law and regulation 
Communicating skills 
International Diploma Evaluation from NUFFIC or IDW (in case of foreign (i.e. not Dutch or Flemish) diploma in TCM) 

Required continuing education

• 108 hours in a three year’s period (now: 2020-2022). Evaluation end 2022. Mandatory

Requirements for continuing membership

Agreement to abide by Zhong Professional Code 
Certificate of First Aid and BLS 
Insurance for Professional liability 
Insurance for Legal assistance (recommended) 
Regular practice inspection 
Continuing professional education 
Minimum in practicing hours

Becoming a member - Send application with required documents (copies) - pay administration fee - file (if complete) checked by Admission committee - in case of approval by Admission committee: either admittance as a member or invitation for a ballot (in case of a not recognized diploma in TCM at Bachelor level)

Ballot: Oral presentation of 5 practical cases for 2 members of Zhong Admission committee. In some cases, the candidate(s) need to take a challenging exam both on theory and practical by one of the Zhong recognized institutions. After passing the challenge exam the ballot will follow. After approval of ballot:

Admittance as a member 
Pay membership and insurance fees and vouch for Zhong shield
Registration as a Zhong member

Legal situation in the Netherlands - There is neither legal recognition nor restrictions to practice TCM/acupuncture in the Netherlands. Costs for acupuncture treatments can be reimbursed to a certain amount per year depending on one's insurance policy and if the practitioner is a member of the professional organizations that are recognized by insurance companies. 

Chinese herbs and herbal products are classified as foods and food supplements, and they can be imported based on the EU Directive on herbal products and marketed without registration or notification. Costs of these products are, however, can be reimbursable according to different policy of the insurance.

Funding of treatment - In general clients of a TCM practitioner need to pay for their own treatment. Depending on the rules of their additional health insurance a health insurance may pay for their treatment. Quite often there is a maximum for reimbursement per treatment or a maximum for an annual reimbursement. The rules for reimbursement vary per health insurance. Health insurances do require that a therapist is a member of a professional TCM organization.