By Nam Hyun-woo
The Korea Medical Association (KMA) has strongly criticized practitioners of Oriental medicine after their representative body submitted a request to the Ministry of Health and Welfare earlier this week for legal permission to use X-ray scanners and other medical equipment.
The KMA Korea on Wednesday released a statement denouncing Oriental doctors stating, "They are not doctors" and called on the government to withdraw their licenses.
The KMA's strong response came days after the Association of Korean Medicine (AKOM) called on the government to grant them legal permission to use hi-tech medical equipment.
The government issues separate licenses to doctors who practice Oriental and Western forms of medicine.
Under the medical law, there is no stated prohibition on Oriental doctors using X-ray scanners, blood analyzers and other such devices.
But Oriental doctors say that they don't use the equipment out of fears that the KMA could file a lawsuit against them for infringing on their field of medical practice.
The KMA denounced the request made to the ministry and said it was an "unscrupulous and dangerous" idea that could expose patients to danger.
"Since the government classified practitioners of Oriental medicine as doctors, they have been able to diagnose illnesses and prescribe treatments just as other doctors do. Therefore by treating modern diseases with outdated methods they pose a serious threat to the health and welfare of patients," it said.
An official at the KMA said that the government should not issue licenses to Oriental doctors.
"This is because they are not qualified as legitimate doctors. Korea is the only country that acknowledges Oriental ‘doctors,'" said the official.
AKOM rebutted that the KMA's harsh rhetoric is intended to boost members' support of KMA executives, which recently hit rock bottom.
Kim Tae-ho, Public Relations Affairs director at AKOM said, "One rumor is that the KMA executives under President Roh Hwan-kyu are losing support. This latest remark turns attention away from them to external factors."
Kim said that AKOM conducted a public survey questioning 1,500 people about the use of modern medical devices by Oriental doctors earlier this year.
"The results showed that there is huge public demand for quality Oriental medical services, which includes the use modern medical devices. It is regretful that the KMA is ignoring such demands."
The dispute between the two associations escalated because AKOM is vying for more leeway regarding medical practices.
The dispute was further fueled after Rep. Kim Jeong-rok of the ruling Saenuri Party and a group of lawmakers on Aug. 20 tabled a bill in the National Assembly proposing that Oriental doctors be allowed to use modern medical devices.
The Korea Medical Association (KMA) has strongly criticized practitioners of Oriental medicine after their representative body submitted a request to the Ministry of Health and Welfare earlier this week for legal permission to use X-ray scanners and other medical equipment.
The KMA Korea on Wednesday released a statement denouncing Oriental doctors stating, "They are not doctors" and called on the government to withdraw their licenses.
The KMA's strong response came days after the Association of Korean Medicine (AKOM) called on the government to grant them legal permission to use hi-tech medical equipment.
The government issues separate licenses to doctors who practice Oriental and Western forms of medicine.
Under the medical law, there is no stated prohibition on Oriental doctors using X-ray scanners, blood analyzers and other such devices.
But Oriental doctors say that they don't use the equipment out of fears that the KMA could file a lawsuit against them for infringing on their field of medical practice.
The KMA denounced the request made to the ministry and said it was an "unscrupulous and dangerous" idea that could expose patients to danger.
"Since the government classified practitioners of Oriental medicine as doctors, they have been able to diagnose illnesses and prescribe treatments just as other doctors do. Therefore by treating modern diseases with outdated methods they pose a serious threat to the health and welfare of patients," it said.
An official at the KMA said that the government should not issue licenses to Oriental doctors.
"This is because they are not qualified as legitimate doctors. Korea is the only country that acknowledges Oriental ‘doctors,'" said the official.
AKOM rebutted that the KMA's harsh rhetoric is intended to boost members' support of KMA executives, which recently hit rock bottom.
Kim Tae-ho, Public Relations Affairs director at AKOM said, "One rumor is that the KMA executives under President Roh Hwan-kyu are losing support. This latest remark turns attention away from them to external factors."
Kim said that AKOM conducted a public survey questioning 1,500 people about the use of modern medical devices by Oriental doctors earlier this year.
"The results showed that there is huge public demand for quality Oriental medical services, which includes the use modern medical devices. It is regretful that the KMA is ignoring such demands."
The dispute between the two associations escalated because AKOM is vying for more leeway regarding medical practices.
The dispute was further fueled after Rep. Kim Jeong-rok of the ruling Saenuri Party and a group of lawmakers on Aug. 20 tabled a bill in the National Assembly proposing that Oriental doctors be allowed to use modern medical devices.
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