MOH to test 18 traditional Chinese medicine treatments in public hospitals

The trial will run for one to two years.

Singapore plans to conduct controlled trials of 18 Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments in public hospitals for up to two years to assess their scientific robustness.

The Ministry of Health selected the treatments from its TCM Integrative Sandbox launched in January.

Among the treatments to be studied is the use of acupuncture for migraine, post-stroke rehabilitation, cancer-related care, and palliative care.
 
Another treatment is the use of Chinese medicines for gastrointestinal disorders and chronic pain. 
 
"Our vision is not simply adding more TCM services to hospital settings, but to create an integrated model where the strengths of both systems can be leveraged for optimal patient care," said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung in his speech at a forum on the use of evidence-based TCM in Western medicine practice.
 
“The goal is to study how TCM, when used alongside western medicine, may improve patient outcomes, or where patients may not be responding well to conventional treatments alone,” he added.