TCM community statements of support against the use of endangered species
"In
Traditional Chinese Medicine, man and nature live in harmony - so
please live in a harmonious relationship with wildlife. We should
all be very proactive in protecting wild animals, protecting nature
and protecting humans. Protect animals - give up bear bile."
Professor Liu Zhen
Cai, Sichuan, China
"From my point of view, animal
remedy is nothing but a placebo and may do harm than good. This conclusion
is strongly based on scientific medicine and mainly for the purpose
of humans or patients, not only for animal welfare."
Professor Shu-Xian
Zu
Professor and Director, Clinical Epidemiology Unit
Anhui Medical University
"We categorically use
no animal or insect parts and will teach the students the same."
Henry Lee
- BSc, MBA
Head of Traditional Chinese Medicine Development
Middlesex University, UK
"In Chinese tradition,
eating cat is believed to enrich and moisten the body and eating
dog is believed to warm the body and enhance male virility and stamina.
However, culture should not be an excuse for cruelty and in Traditional
Chinese Medicine there are many alternatives to the use of these
animals. When we are making progress in civilization, we should
also make progress in our hearts and minds. There is no need to
kill and eat our faithful animal friends."
Dr. Lo Yan
Wo
Hong Kong Chinese Herbalist Association
The Chinese Association of Medicine and Philosophy
The Practicing Pharmacist Association of Hong Kong
"It is not ethically defensible to use endangered species as medicine
or to inflict untold pain and suffering on other animals in order to
produce medicine. The rich pharmacopoeia of Chinese medicine offers
doctors a myriad of alternative choices which achieve the desired
therapeutic effect without causing the unacceptable side effects of
irreversible damage to the ever more delicate web that comprises the
earth and its animal inhabitants."
Bob Damone, M.S., LAc. Professional Chinese herbalist and professor
of Chinese Medicine, Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, San Diego,
C.A., USA.
For statements of support against the use of bear bile in TCM click here.
