Tension on Biomedicine and Alternative Medicine

Tension on Biomedicine and Alternative Medicine

Years before civilization and westernization, people in Singapore depended entirely on traditional Medicine. The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved traditional Medicine as it plays a vital role in improving public health. The WHO further insists that the government should integrate traditional Medicine to national health systems as well as to enhance and create national policies regarding traditional Medicine (Singapore, 2019). Traditional Medicine or rather alternative Medicine is the body and mind practices and herbal products to cure an illness or a disease. Biomedicine, on the other hand, is the application of scientific knowledge, both formal and natural, intervention, and technology to solve health issues (Bodeker & Graz, 2020). However, in Singapore, traditional Medicine is highly regulated. Traditional Chinese Medicine is commonly known as Traditional Medicine. The Health Sciences Authority (HAS) in Singapore insists on controlling all drugs related to Chinese in that they must comply with the quality and safety criteria before being allowed in the market. The HAS must also license the dealers, importers, and manufacturers of these traditional medicines. The essay explains the tension that has raised between biomedicine and alternative Medicine.

Alternative medicines, like herbal and acupuncture medicines, are popular in most countries all over the world. Scientists have proved that the treatment outcomes of traditional medicines vary in different medical trials. Although, social scientists have paid little attention to the fact that the social organization of Alternative Medicine in the interest of its reliability and effectiveness. Alternative medicines are still in existence but have, however, not been able to replace the biomedicines in Singapore. Despite the benefit, medical technologies have brought in the advancement of medicines; there have been mixed reactions from various individuals. The use of both biomedicine and alternative Medicine can, therefore, lead to tension among the citizens as they hold different beliefs on the two types of medication. Alternative medicines are more synergic and effective when they are coordinated, unlike while there are not. Studies have only demonstrated the importance of the social factors relating to biomedicine (Times, 2013). The political and theoretical tensions and conflicts between biomedicine and alternative Medicine differ depending on the extent to which alternative Medicine has been institutionalized in the biomedical model. Alternative medicines have a high chance of helping in reducing the conflicts and tension between them and biomedicines.

Moreover, the variation of the two medical systems depends a lot on government support. Coordinating biomedicines and alternative medicines are essential when working on providing tangible benefits to health care.  If the government restricts alternative Medicine so much, institutionalizing it in the biomedicine system may be difficult. The sociological analysis will also be crucial in identifying and explaining the different outcomes of medication. This analysis helps in comparing the effectiveness of biomedicine and traditional medicines while used individually to the combination of both medicines on a given health problem. According to Chang & Lim (2019), alternative medicines, especially the TCM, are contaminated with harmful drugs, heavy metals, and animal materials, which could cause allergies or cause damage to some organs. Although only a few such complications have been reported from acupuncture, difficulties have been reported due to improper treatments and the use of needles that are not sterile. This has resulted in severe adverse impacts such as damaged lungs, collapsed body organs as well as injured central nervous system. Besides, traditional medicines have been very effective in treating fibromyalgia and to easy joint pains associated with cancer treatments (Kaya & Chinsamy, 2018). On the other hand, biomedicine has been associated with various side effects on selected individuals as well. In Singapore, to be precise, TCM is highly used in children to the elderly. Being a nation with a variety of traditional medicines, most people believe in the effectiveness of the TCM, and convincing them otherwise would not be easy.  It is, therefore, very essential to integrate both traditional Medicine and biomedicine into the health system for effective and improved public Healthcare.

Moreover, health education is vital to involve individuals in lifestyle and behavioral changes. There are various ways to understand how people perceive and experience their illness. Another assumption is that one’s health and illness are determined by his or her behavior; thus, the reason health campaigns target an individual. Some medical models have been designed to predict and explain the behaviors of health seekers accurately. Besides, most health outcomes depend on one’s family background just as infant mortality is dependent on the health and socioeconomic background of the mother. Nations like Singapore made of different linguistic groups need to be educated on both biomedicines and traditional Medicine. Most scientists argue that age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic are related to health disparities (Hicken et al., 2019). Accessibility to health care also brings about significant health disparities. Social inequalities such as age difference, class, and ethnic/race differences often bring about health inequalities. This brings about the underlying assumption that health inequalities could be minimized or even eradicated. The government also has a role to play in addressing health inequalities, primarily by ensuring health facilities are easily accessible. Insufficient health care destabilizes the ill person who, to some extent, disrupts the society as it is always associated with low productivity levels.

In conclusion, there is a solution to the tension and conflicts on the TCM and biomedicine in Singapore. This is achievable by the institutionalization of alternative medicines in the biomedicine system. Also, integrating both traditional Medicine and biomedicine will help in improving public Healthcare. People also need to be educated further on the two types of treatments to clear the tension. This education will be essential to remove any false beliefs held against either the biomedicine or the TCM in Singapore. Since different people react differently on medicines, it is vital to seek health advice before choosing the type of medication to take to solve a particular health issue. Manufacturers of alternative Medicine must also be keen and cautious to ensure they meet the criteria set by the government. This will enhance their effectiveness and fitness to the human lives.

References

Chang, L., & Lim, J. C. J. (2019). Traditional Chinese Medicine Physicians’ Insights into Interprofessional Tensions between Traditional Chinese Medicine and Biomedicine: A Critical Perspective. Health communication, 34(2), 238-247.

Hicken, M. T., Lee, H., Morenoff, J., House, J. S., & Williams, D. R. (2019). Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Hypertension Prevalence. Community Health Equity: A Chicago Reader, 173.

Bodeker, G., & Graz, B. (2020). Traditional Medicine. In Hunter’s Tropical Medicine and Emerging Infectious Diseases (pp. 194-199). Content Repository Only!.

Times, T. S. (2013). TCM highly regulated in Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.asiaone.com/health/tcm-highly-regulated-singapore?amp

Kaya, H., & Chinsamy, M. (2018, September). Integrating African Traditional Medicine and Biomedicine for Improved Public Healthcare: Prospects and Challenges. In European Conference on Knowledge Management (pp. 377-XX). Academic Conferences International Limited.

Singapore, G. O. (2019, November 1). TCM practitioners. Retrieved from https://www.moh.gov.sg/hpp/tcm-practitioners