Chronological history of TCM and Acupuncture regulation in Portugal

2003

Law 45/2003

• Establishes the legal framework for the following CAM’s
  • Acupuncture
  • Herbal Medicine
  • Naturopathy
  • Homeopathy
  • Osteopathy
  • Chiropract
• Although the government had 6 months to fully regulate this law with ordinances, it remains unregulated for 10 years

 

2012

• After a lawsuit by a Homeopathy Association, the Ministries of Health and Education are condemned to publish the Law 45/2003 regulation decrees and ordinances that remain unpublished

 

2013

• Decree law 10/2013
  • Approves a bilateral agreement signed in 2005 between Portugal and China regarding the recognition of academic degrees and higher studies time periods.
    • It hasn’t been yet implemented
• Law 71/2013
  • Regulates the professional activity of the 6 previous CAM’s and includes another one
    • TCM
    • Acupuncture
    • Herbal Medicine
    • Naturopathy
    • Homeopathy
    • Osteopathy
    • Chiropract
  • Introduces the technic and deontological autonomy of practitioners
  • Establishes and approves the emission of professional licenses to practitioners

 

2014

• Law 21/2014
  • Regulates clinical investigation
    • The 7 regulated CAM’s are added
• Ordinance 181/2014
  • Establishes the time period and criteria in order to allow current CAM practitioners to apply for the professional license
• Ordinance 182/2014
  • Establishes the minimum requirements regarding the organization, function, human resources and technical installations for the professional exercise of the 7 regulated CAM’s
• Ordinance 182-A/2014
  • Fixes the taxes to pay regarding the application and emission of the professional license
• Ordinance 182-B/2014
  • Approves the applying rules for the application and emission of the professional license
• Ordinance 200/2014
  • Establishes the minimum amount for the mandatory civil liability assurance that the practitioners need to have in order to get access to the professional license
• Ordinance 207-G/2014
  • Establishes and characterizes the functional content for the degree of TCM Specialist
• Ordinance 207-F/2014
  • Establishes and characterizes the functional content for the degree of Acupunctor

 

2015

• Ordinance 150/2015
  • Approves the criteria regarding the fixation of the regulatory contribution and taxes as well as the taxes due for the open, modification and function of health care facilities
• Ordinance 172-C/2015
  • Establishes the legal requirements to be satisfied by the study cycle for the Acupunctur degree
• Law 104/2015
  • Creates de national inventory of health care professions in which the 7 regulated CAM’s are included
• Ordinance 238/2015
  • Establishes the legal regime for marketing in the health care area in which the 7 regulated CAM’s are included

2017

• Law 1/2017
  • Establishes the 7 regulated CAM’s VAT exempt

2018

• Ordinance 45/2018
  • Establishes the legal requirements to be satisfied by the study cycle for the TCM Specialist degree

2019

• Law 95/2019
  • Approves the National Health Base Law in which the 7 regulated CAM’s are introduced