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RCHM
The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine
The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine strongly condemns the illegal trade in endangered species and has a strict policy prohibiting the use of any type of endangered species by any of our members. The RCHM uses information supplied by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, the Wildlife Liaison Office of the Metropolitan Police and the Department of the Environment, all of whom work to stop the trade in illegal substances wherever it is found.
The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine also strongly opposes the use of bear bile in Chinese medicine, whether gained from wild or from farmed bears. It is unacceptable for healthcare professionals to use medicinal substances derived from wild or endangered animals, or from processes which involve inhumane methods. Plant medicines and also synthetic bear bile (Ursodeoxycholic Acid) provide suitable alternatives to bear bile.
While it is within the law to use bear bile in some countries, in the UK it is illegal to use animal products in unlicensed medicine and most herbal medicines come into this category.
The RCHM supports the Journal of Chinese Medicine in its campaign.