TORONTO - Patients receiving acupuncture, herbal remedies or other forms of traditional Chinese medicine in Ontario will soon gain some reassurance that those treating them are qualified to do so.

The College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario will begin regulating traditional Chinese medicine on April 1.

The passing of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Act in 2006 created the self-regulatory body which will now demand that every practitioner register with the college after passing a series of tests or displaying that they have equivalent experience after having seen at least 2,000 patients in the last five years.

The college will also handle complaints from the public.

Practitioners had to have their registration forms submitted by March 19th in order to be able to practice on April 1.

Emily Cheung, the college's registrar, said the new regulations will allow the public to be assured that every practitioner treating them has met certain standards.

"Right now, there are no rules or policies and individuals can practice however they choose," said Cheung. "The public does not know whether a person is qualified or not because anyone can call themselves a traditional Chinese medicine doctor."

The new rules make Ontario one of just two provinces in Canada to regulate traditional Chinese medicine. British Columbia put its own set of rules in place in April 2003.

Traditional Chinese medicine is an ancient treatment that focuses on acupuncture, herbal remedies, proper nutrition and Chinese massage to balance the yin and yang or contrary forces in one's system.

Not all practitioners study in a school setting as learning the treatments from ancestors is a frequent practice in China.

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Traditional Chinese medicine to be regulated in Ontario, registration needed