The B.C. Supreme Court has granted an injunction sought by the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of B.C. against a Vernon woman.
Janice Ye has been ordered not to hold herself out as a person who is qualified to practice traditional Chinese medicine and/or acupuncture.
Ye had been practising at the Healing Hands Chinese Massage Clinic in Vernon.
The injunction was sought by the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of B.C. as part of a broader investigation into individuals who hold themselves out as being qualified TCM practitioners and/or acupuncturists, but who are not registered by the college.
The CTCMA is the governing body for the profession and was established under the Health Professions Act (HPA) which governs all health professions in the province.
The college was made aware of the practice of Ye through a complaint submitted by a member of the public and which incorporated a local newspaper article describing the services offered at her clinic.
Ye was informed that she was in contravention of the Health Professions Act and the college’s bylaws and regulation.
An undercover investigation was conducted establishing that Ye continued to perform acupuncture after having received two warning letters from the college.
The court order prohibits Ye from holding herself out as a person who is qualified or registered to practice traditional Chinese medicine and/or acupuncture in British Columbia and from using the terms “traditional Chinese medicine,” “acupuncture” or “acupuncturist” in any title or description of her services.
