Biomedical doctor as acupuncturist: The business of Chinese medicine in the Philippines

Abstract

Acupuncture, a specialty of Chinese medicine, has become increasingly popular among urban middle-class health consumers in the Philippines in recent years. Professionalized training courses have started up and bio-medical doctors and nurses are the largest group of trainees enrolled in various programs. They are also the largest group of service providers cum trainers in the formal and private healthcare system. Based on a qualitative study approach, this study conducted face-to-face interviews with a questionnaire among trainees and practitioner cum trainers at the Ateneo de Manila University, the SMIC Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the St. Luke Medical Center- Quezon City, and the St. Luke Medical Center-Global City. This study finds that biomedical doctors and nurses from various ethnic groups have switched to practice acupuncture not only because of their fascination with Chinese medicine but also to respond to the market demand. Their entry is driven by a range of factors including, but not limited to: financial incentives, the limitations of biomedicine and the advantages of acupuncture, family tradition, and the idea of holism that is attached to Chinese medicine. The advantages to becoming an acupuncturist appear to be professional, economic and personal despite the challenges regarding the social and political circumstances. This paper concludes that biomedical professionals are in control of Chinese medicine specialties, which are being professionalized in the Philippines, and are making the industry a private multicultural and urban middle-class phenomenon, thus fulfilling the demand created by the market economy.