The TCMO developed these briefing notes to support informed, evidence-based advocacy on behalf of Ontario’s Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture professionals. Throughout this past year, the Board identified several priority mandates affecting the safe, effective, and integrated delivery of TCM/Acupuncture within Ontario’s healthcare system.

Each briefing note below summarizes key issues, regulatory considerations, and recommendations presented to government, regulatory partners, and sector stakeholders. These documents reflect the TCMO’s commitment to advancing professional standards, strengthening patient access, and ensuring that our profession’s unique contributions are clearly represented in policy discussions.

The briefing notes for this year’s mandates are provided here for reference and transparency.

• Doctor Title 2025
• ESM study on acu Sept 2025
• HCAI FSRA MVAs OCF-18 and OCF-23 Sept 2025
• Healthcare Integration 2025
• Mental Health and Addictions 2025
• Patient Testimonials 2025
• Scope of Practice 2025
• Seniors and LongTermCare 2025
• Compendium Entries RAc and RTCMP DrTCM 2025

In recent weeks, TCMO has received a surge of messages from our members and the public regarding a questionable online program offering a so-called “Chinese Medicine Certification.” The volume of concern, from misleading ads on social media to confusion among patients, has reached a point where formal clarification is urgently needed. This blog post shares our official letter to the College, outlining the dangers such programs pose to public safety, regulatory integrity, and the profession of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Ontario.

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On behalf of the members of TCMO, I am writing to bring to your attention a matter of concern regarding the company Efficient Therapist, which is currently marketing an online “Chinese Medicine Certification” program (https://efficientherapist.com/product/chinese-medicine/). Many of our members and colleagues have reported being inundated with advertisements for this program across social media platforms, and some have received inquiries from the public questioning its legitimacy. As the governing body of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine in Ontario, and in the best interest of our profession and public safety, we believe you must be made aware of this situation.

Efficient Therapist is advertising a “Recognised Certificate in Chinese Medicine” and claims to qualify graduates to practice as a “Chinese Medicine Wellness Practitioner” or “Chinese Medicine Coach.” The course is structured as a 40-hour, 10-module, self-paced online program, offered at a discounted price of $127. According to its marketing materials, graduates will learn to apply yin-yang theory, the five elements, meridian theory, food energetics, acupressure, and lifestyle alignment in wellness and coaching contexts. The company further claims the program is “fully accredited” and that graduates will receive an insurable certification upon completion.

This program raises several concerns:

Public Risk through Misinformation: By framing this program as a certification in “Chinese Medicine,” the course misleads participants into believing they are qualified to deliver care rooted in TCM, potentially putting the public at risk. Furthermore, creating the titles “Chinese Medicine Wellness Practitioner” or “Chinese Medicine Coach” can deceive the public into believing that graduates of this program are legitimately trained practitioners, thereby putting individuals at risk.

Disregard for Regulatory Standards: In Ontario, the CTCMPAO oversees the safe and competent practice of TCM and acupuncture. As you know, entry-to-practice requirements include thousands of hours of supervised study and clinical training, not a 40-hour online course. The promotion of this program directly undermines these standards and devalues the profession.

Unqualified Instructors: None of the listed instructors has formal training or credentials in Traditional Chinese Medicine or Acupuncture. This program is a breeding ground for misinformation and the dissemination of erroneous information under the guise of “accredited training”.

Misrepresentation of Credentials: The program promotes itself as a recognized and accredited certification, claiming backing from multiple “international accreditation bodies.” Upon review, these accreditations appear to be fabricated or illegitimate. 

Given these issues, we are asking the College:

To investigate this organization and its claims.

To issue a public statement clarifying that such certifications are not recognized in Ontario, nor do they permit individuals to identify or practice as TCM practitioners.

To protect the public from misleading advertising and the unregulated use of “Chinese Medicine” terminology in the marketplace.

As the regulatory body with a mandate to protect the public, your leadership in addressing this issue will be critical. The spread of unregulated programs such as this not only threatens the integrity of the profession but also puts Ontarians at risk of harm through misinformation and inadequate care.

Please let me know if TCMO can be of any assistance to the CTCMPAO in this matter or in any other issue that may be top-of-mind.

Your Association and volunteers have been busy in the past few months. Here are a few of the areas we have been active..

CTCMPAO:

We have actively re-engaged with our College. We participated in a direct consultation with regard to the Doctor Title working group. Many of our questions were answered and issues clarified. We support the work that the Working Group has completed to date, as well as the adjustments to the education and implementation timeline. We are excited to continue our dialogue with the CTCMPAO in the future.

Modernization of the Veterinarians’ Act:

In January, 2023, TCMO commented on the proposed modernization of the act that governs Veterinarians and procedures on animals in Ontario. The position of TCMO was that with additional training in animal handling and anatomy, our profession is eminently qualified to perform acupuncture on animals. The Act gained proclamation in May of this year, and subsequent to that, TCMO reached out to the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO). We are pleased to mention that there is a meeting planned with the CVO to begin a conversation that we are hopeful will lead to our profession gaining the acceptance to perform acupuncture on animals.

Preferred Provider Networks:

You may have heard of employer-sponsored drug insurance and the preferred pharmacies that may be a part of these types of networks for prescription drugs. The Ministry of Finance recently issued a consultation on this subject, and one of the many areas of focus in the consultation was the possible effect of a Preferred Provider Network (PPN) on patient choice. TCMO responded to the consultation, upholding and highlighting that the autonomy of a patient to choose their own healthcare provider is essential. Not only does this allow a patient access to timely care, it also allows the patient to develop trust with their chosen practitioner, which will lead to better health outcomes. While we cannot be sure that PPN’s are a future direction for the provision of primary healthcare, TCMO remains vigilant on this issue.

CTCMASO:

We have been in regular conversation with the Council of Schools. We have recently co-hosted the TCMA Day at Queen’s Park, and truly enjoyed the participation of the Council,Schools, the staff and the schools. We believe that the profession is better with more support and more participation, and we look forward to collaborating in the future.

Integration Project:

As we consider how to achieve top-of-mind knowledge and acceptance within the broader healthcare community, we have contemplated a project that would integrate our profession into a community health care setting.

We have had a few meetings with possible interested clinics, and continue to work on the fine details of such an ambitious plan. One of our challenges is the cost of this type of pilot. With the support of a host clinic, we would be offering TCM and Acupuncture services on a full-time basis, with two practitioners, for a year. Further, these services would not bear a cost for the patient. This brings TCMO a significant challenge, How can we fund this project? If you have any suggestions, please get in touch with a member of the Board.

Once again, the TCM profession went to Queen’s Park – and what a successful day! A diverse group, including representatives of 5 Ontario TCM Schools, the Council of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Schools of Ontario (CTCMASO), students and professional members and the volunteer Board of TCMO, spent the evening chatting, educating and sharing experiences with MPP’s from all parties at Queen’s Park. This year, our evening reception was co-sponsored with the CTCMASO alongside TCMO, and hosted in the dining room at the Legislature. This larger room allowed everyone the opportunity to mix and mingle and to meet fellow practitioners face-to-face, but more importantly, this event allowed each member of our profession to connect directly with their MPP and other MPP’s who are curious about TCM. 

Many MPP’s harkened back to the “days of deregulation” and commented on how active our profession and our patients were. There were many overheard comments of “oh, I didn’t know that TCM and Acupuncture could help with…”, which always illustrates just how much public education we must continue to undertake. Of course, we also heard that many MPP”s had other professions perform acupuncture, and those conversations also yielded another educational opportunity.

This was the second year for many MPP’s in attendance, and the many smiles certainly indicate that they look forward to another event in 2025!

During the day, TCMO arranged meetings with MPP’s and attended the Legislature. Katrina Dollano, Vice President and Heather Kenny, President, met with Ministers and staff in the ministries of Seniors and Accessibility; as well as Agriculture, Food and Agri-Business; and MPP Shamji, Health Critic. In the morning, TCMO was introduced in the Legislature and we stayed to watch and listen to Question Period. 

Our meetings focussed on updating our current situation and moving our concerns forward. We pushed for support for our pilot integration project, inclusion of our profession as a provider for acupuncture on animals, consideration of how our services could exist in care homes and retirement homes, and always reminded those we chatted with that TCM is front-line and primary healthcare for many many Ontarians, and that their continued ability to choose their provider is essential and necessary.

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