Complaints against physicians practicing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are on the rise in Singapore with overcharging the top gripe, a consumers association said on Saturday. ( dpa )
Most complaints focused on professional misconduct and negligence, including rude and abusive behaviour, wrong diagnosis and inappropriate treatment.
Other sore points include misrepresentation, such as passing off cheaper ginseng powder as the premium product.
Figures from the Consumers Association of Singapore published in The Straits Times showed 13 complaints last year, up from eight in 2006.
The TCM Practitioners Board received 17 complaints in 2006 and nine in 2005.
The board can revoke a physician's licence, fine him up to 10,000 Singapore dollars (7,299 US dollars) or suspend him for up to three years.
Tan Pit Lian, president of the Chinese Physicians' Association, attributed the rise in complaints to a more educated public.