Recently, the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioners Board suspended and fined a practitioner after his treatments caused a diabetic patient to lose part of his left leg to amputation (TCM practitioner fined after patient loses part of leg, March 15).
A few weeks ago, I wrote a letter asking the board to clarify what it meant by an "appropriate method of TCM treatment" and what it referred to as "immediate medical attention" (Clarifications on TCM treatment, March 20).
It has been more than two weeks and, so far, the board has remained silent.
The board should express clearly to TCM practitioners its views on how to manage the condition, which is rather common, so that other patients will not suffer the same unfortunate fate.
The board, which is responsible for overseeing the proper practice of TCM, owes the public some answers.
Ong Siew Chey (Dr)