4 in 10 Hongkongers struggle to distinguish Chinese medicine from supplements

About 40 per cent of Hongkongers struggle to distinguish between proprietary Chinese medicines and health supplements, according to a survey by a think tank that has developed a tool to assess public literacy in the traditional discipline.Our Hong Kong Foundation on Thursday released the findings of a survey conducted last August, using the tool to poll 800 residents.The think tank said the survey revealed a moderate overall level of Chinese medicine health literacy among respondents, who scored 69.8 out of 100.The results showed that 85.3 per cent of the respondents could apply Chinese medicine health advice, such as environmental or dietary adjustments, to improve their physical well-being.But 40.2 per cent of those surveyed found it difficult to distinguish proprietary Chinese medicines from health supplements, according to the findings.The think tank said the results showed significant room for improvement in the public’s understanding of the fundamental concepts and treatment methods of Chinese medicine.