The use of acupuncture to treat migraines as well as for post-stroke rehabilitation and cancer-related care could soon be integrated into the national healthcare system under a sandbox initiative.
They are part of 18 proposals for evidence-based traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments authorities are evaluating under a TCM sandbox initiative, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said yesterday.
The other TCM treatments healthcare institutions under the three healthcare clusters here have proposed for the sandbox include the use of Chinese medicine for treating gastrointestinal disorders and chronic pain, alongside conventional treatments.
If implemented in public clinics and hospitals, these treatments could become eligible for subsidies and MediSave coverage, which today apply to use of acupuncture for lower back and neck pain.
Speaking at a forum on the use of evidence-based TCM in Western medicine practice, Ong said the latest move follows from his announcement in October 2024 that the Health Ministry was evaluating the efficacy of other TCM therapies beyond those two treatments.
He emphasised that this was not about adopting TCM treatments wholesale but a thoughtful selection of therapies that have been shown to work, complementing Western medicine to improve outcomes for patients, including those who do not respond well to conventional treatments alone.
To start, these proposed treatments will be evaluated for scientific robustness by a ministry-commissioned committee and then trialed “in a controlled environment” in public healthcare institutions for one to two years.
“During the sandbox phase, our foremost priority is to ensure patient safety and maintain high standards of care,” he said.
Addressing attendees, National Neuroscience Institute senior neurological consultant Lim Shih Hui said by integrating evidence-based traditional and modern medicine practices, the healthcare system can empower patients to make better informed decisions and benefit from the strengths of both medical systems.
Speaking to reporters, Prof Lim, who co-chaired the forum, noted that SingHealth has been looking to improve treatment for conditions and diseases that Western medicine struggles to tackle due to limitations or the lack of data.
He said the public health cluster – the largest here – submitted more than half of the proposals to incorporate TCM for treatment of conditions including migraine, epilepsy and other disorders.
“Migraine is a very common thing but medication for migraines, though effective, have side effects,” he said.
“So, if we can use TCM treatment to complement Western treatment, the patient will have good effects as well as fewer side effects.” — The Straits Times/ANN
