Participation in the certification system is open to TCM practitioners, traders and other organisations and individuals involved in the research, recommendation, prescription, supply, import or export of traditional Chinese medicines.
Typically this includes:
Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine including, but not limited to, members of the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association Ltd (AACMA);
Single TCM practitioners as well as group practices;
Importers, exporters, wholesalers and retailers of traditional Chinese medicines;
Researchers into traditional Chinese medicines;
Organisations and institutions involved in the education and training of traditional Chinese medicine.
Participation in the scheme is voluntary.
Applicants for certification will be provided with an information kit, including a Certification Examination that will need to be passed to the required standard a well as an Anonymous Questionnaire. Applicants will be required to sign a declaration to trade only in legally acquired wildlife parts and products and pay the application fee. Once accepted, a certificate of participation, a window decal or door/window sticker, and two posters, each with the AACMA, and ESCS logos will be issued for display at the applicant's business premises.
Certification will be on an annual basis, with a declaration as to compliance to be submitted each year in order to maintain certification and the right to continue to display the decal/sticker etc. A reasonable annual fee will be charged.
Participating individuals and organisations must agree to be subject to the AACMA Disciplinary Committee in relation to complaints under the scheme and to the release of complaint details to the relevant personnel in DSEWPaC for investigation and legal action if appropriate.
Ginseng photo credit: Allan Crawford, Traffic International; Musk photo credit: Sue Earl & Greg Miles