Details of the Register can be found here.

Insurance – VHI (Healthcare) and BUPA (Ireland)
In November 1996 BUPA launched its new Heath Insurance scheme into the Republic of Ireland. The Professional Register of Traditional Chinese Medicine was selected at that date to participate in the full cover offered by BUPA. It was the first, and at that juncture, the only professional Chinese medical body whose clients could claim, where applicable, full BUPA out-patient insurance cover.

Full Practitioner Members of the PRTCM are also fully recognised by VHI (Healthcare) and their clients can, where applicable, claim full VHI out patient insurance cover for their Acupuncture Treatments. Clients should be advised to raise any queries about their personal eligibility for cover, directly with VHI or BUPA.

Formal Affiliation between The Irish College of TCM (ICTCM) and Guangzhou University of TCM
On Professor Shanahan’s fourth visit to Guangzhou University of TCM (hence GZUTCM) in Southern China in November 2002 he managed to procure for the ICTCM a formal agreement to affiliate the two TCM institutions.

This was signed personally and jointly by the President of the University and the Director of the ICTCM. This legally sealed document (a rare instance of China granting foreigners both status and privilege) sets out the threefold areas of agreement:-

1. The ICTCM would continue to send TCM practitioners who graduate from the ICTCM (or are members of the PRTCM) to train at the University with acknowledged Masters of TCM in Guangzhou.
2. To undertake joint scientific research into the effectiveness of specific aspects of TCM therapy – currently Medical Qigong - in treating various types of cancer. (See Scientific Research Affiliates).
3. To exchange lecturers between the two institutions (i.e. GZ University and ICTCM).

This three-part agreement was considered by both colleges as just the first step in an on-going process of collaboration and exchange.

Consulting Professorship for Professor Tom Shanahan
From the 1st January 2004 The President of the ICTCM – Mr T.J. Shanahan – was appointed as a Consulting Professor of TCM with the International Department of Guangzhou University of TCM. He is the first Irishman to be appointed to such a post. Since then he has continued his regular visits to GZ to exchange knowledge and experience with his fellow Professors of TCM.

Joint Master of Medicine Degree Agreement
NEWS – in December 2005 The ICTCM signed an historic agreement with Guangzhou University of TCM (GZUTCM) in China to run a joint Masters Degree Programme, (mainly in Ireland) leading to a Master of Medicine Degree conferred by GZUTCM.

Master of Medicine Degree (specialising in Medical Qigong)
This is a three year, full time programme scheduled to commence in 2007. It will be run jointly between Guangzhou University of TCM and the ICTCM. The Degree “Master of Medicine” will be conferred by Guangzhou University of TCM and the Ministry of Education of China.

The course will be taught in English and will be based mainly at the ICTCM, in Dublin Ireland. Students will attend the University in Guangzhou for certain blocks of time during which they will conduct scientific research into the specialism of Medical Qigong.

If you would like to receive details of the Masters degree programme click here.

Co-operation between The Irish College of TCM and the Irish Government in setting up procedures for the recognition and registration of Practitioners of TCM The ICTCM is actively involved, as it has been for many years, in discussions with the Minister of Health and Children and in the current processes of consultation between the relevant Irish governmental bodies and bodies representing the training and professional representation of practitioners of TCM

The connections between our two TCM institutions (GZUTCM and ICTCM) will become increasingly valuable in face of our current dealings with the IMB and the Irish Department of Health and Children, especially in relation to the proposed Registration of practitioners of TCM. These wholly formal connections with one of the most prestigious TCM universities in the homeland of Chinese medicine cannot fail to register as significant in both Ireland and Europe.

Scientific Research Affiliates - China
Recently, the ICTCM has been participating in protocols specifically focused upon hepatic cancers (since these tend to be the most difficult to treat with conventional medical modalities). During 2003 the ICTCM also funded a further Research programme into Liver Cancer, which monitored and evaluated the therapeutic effectiveness of Chinese Herbal Medicine and Medical Qigong. In 2006 we are just about to start a new Clinical Research Programme into Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Additionally, we have formally and conjointly contracted with GZ University Department of Acupuncture, Tuina and Qigong and Professor Doctor Wu, Director of the GZ Oncology Hospital, to actively pursue this course of research. For example, ICTCM practitioners have already treated cancer patients under Dr Wu’s aegis. The prospect of attaining a Nobel Prize for the fruitful outcome of this prestigious research is not out of the question.

The ICTCM has also funded, supported and/or participated in Scientific Research into Medical Qigong Emitting External Qi Method with, among others,

• Southern China Teachers University
• Zhongshan Western Medicine University, Guangzhou
• Huadu Hospital

The work of the College is also supported by some of the most famous academicians and Senior TCM Doctors of China including:

• Professor Feng Lida
• Professor Liu Songhao
• Senior Doctor Professor Deng Tietao
• Senior Doctor Professor Jin Rui

Other World-wide Affiliations
Since 1983 the ICTCM has established formal and informal relationships with many other International TCM Colleges (See the list of Visiting Lecturers), Professional TCM Registers and Organisations and with World-wide Federations such as the World Federation of Acupuncture Societies (WFAS) and the World Academic Society of Medical Qigong (WASMQ). Professor Tom Shanahan is a Council Member of this latter organisation and in 2004 and 2006 represented Ireland on the Council. He has also been invited, in 2006, to be on the Academic Committee of the Fifth International Qigong Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, supported by the Thai Government.

College Publications
The ICTCM publishes a number of informative leaflets and brochures, along with information about the College itself and its associated professional body. These include:-

• The College Prospectus and Syllabus
• Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine booklet
• Acupuncture brochure
• Professional Register of Traditional Chinese Medicine brochure
• The Code of Ethics (PRTCM)
• The Code of Practice (PRTCM)
• A Directory of Practitioners (PRTCM)

An up-dated Directory of practitioners is maintained and produced three times per year. Current addresses and other relevant details of practising and insured members are included. Copies of the Directory are obtainable, free of charge, from The PRTCM Secretary.

Professor Shanahan has also published a number of specialist TCM texts in cooperation with Shen Ming Press and has contributed specialist articles on TCM to European and Chinese Journals.

The College, in collaboration with the Professional Register, produces a trimestral in-house journal of Chinese Medicine called "Shenmen".