AyurVijnana, Volume 5, Autumn 1998

Emerging challenges
with Tibetan Medicine in
German-speaking countries

by EGBERT ASSHAUER
 

translated from the German by BARBARA GERKE

Those who published materials on Tibetan Medicine from the beginning till the mid-eighties, must have literally felt like the "lonely caller in the desert". This situation has changed gradually during the latter part of this decade. The causes for such changes are manifold:

* The frequent travels abroad of H. H. the Dalai Lama and the Nobel peace prize award which he won in 1989, have awakened the interest in Tibetan culture and medicine world-wide.
* Tibetan Help Organisations and Buddhist Centres have increased their activities in the German speaking countries enormously and are very active elsewhere in the world as well. These groups also organise lectures on Tibetan medicine.
* More and more Tibetan physicians have been visiting western countries. This is an outcome of the alternations of generations in Dharamsala, where in 1990 approximately 35 young doctors comp                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                l pill favourably influences numerous physical processes. This scientific survey encourages the acceptance of Tibetan medicine by allopathic practitioners.

 The remarkable documentary film "The Knowledge of Healing" ("Das Wissen vom Heilen") by Franz Reichle was released a year ago. A TV talk show on Tibetan medicine in February this year, caused an unexpectedly favourable response from the general public. It looks as though the media will continue to highlight the subject of "Tibetan Medicine" in the future.

 Following the TV show, about 20,000 inquiries from patients have shown an enormous personal insecurity. As well, the responses indicated a total lack of knowledge on how Tibetan doctors diagnose illness, and according to which criteria they prescribe their medicines. Callers also wished to know how Tibetan doctors can be contacted in the first instance.
 
 There are no distinctions made between the Tibetan herbal pills of the Dalai Lama's pharmacy and Padma 28, the herbal remedy from Switzerland. Indications for which kind of diseases these drugs could be useful are not at all known. Whether Padma 28 or Tibetan jewel pills - both are indiscriminately considered as all-round remedies. Moreover, at times,  Tibetan doctors are looked upon as miracle healers.

 Therefore, we intend to gradually give a direction to these events. On request of patients, an information bureau of the Padma AG, Switzerland, gives out material on Padma 28, literature on Tibetan medicine and contact addresses, where one can make appointments for consultations with visiting Tibetan doctors. Certain problems have arisen, however, which the information bureau wants to solve. The bureau is in continuous consultation with German medical practitioners, among those Prof. Dr. Klaus Jork of the Institute for General Medicine, J. W. Goethe University, Frankfurt.

 Moreover, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, a branch clinic of MEN-TSEE-KHANG opened about two years ago. At the NSTG (Nederlandse Stichting ter bevordering van de Tibetaanse Geneeskunde - DUTCH FOUNDATION FOR TIBETAN MEDICINE) a Tibetan doctor is available for consultations and a  stock of all Tibetan medical drugs that are produced at MEN-TSEE-KHANG is kept. In Germany, the import of Tibetan medicine is prohibited by law!
 

 I suggest that the diseases which can be cured, healed or relieved by Tibetan medicine can be grouped  into four categories:

 I. The first group comprises defined diseases, which can be treated singly with Tibetan standard drugs. These are chronic stomach and intestinal problems, including chronic ulcers, hay fever, allergic and other skin diseases, chronic muscle and joint pains, chronic headaches (migraines and tension headaches), asthma and chronic bronchitis, as well as functional gynaecological and urological problems.

 II. The second group includes the large number of patients with unclear, mainly psycho-somatic symptoms, which cannot be classified within a defined structure of disease. These patients often suffer great distress and mental trauma. The chronic fatigue syndrome and light depressions, especially during menopause, belong to this group. Here, an attempt to treat with Tibetan herbs always makes sense. The energetic point of view that is followed in Tibetan medicine may definitely help in leading to better results.

 III. The third group includes bio-medically defined diseases, where insufficient or no results were achieved with Western medicine. An attempt to treat with Tibetan medicine, in addition to allopathic drugs, can be advised for the following cases:

* In certain, difficult to control cases of diabetes one may try to apply Tibetan herbs, as well as Western medicine. However, the allopathic drugs should never be discontinued. Tibetan medicine should be avoided in case of high blood lipids.

* In cases of heart and vascular diseases (high blood pressure, coronary sclerosis, peripheral vasoconstriction) I would recommend Tibetan medicine in addition to the allopathic treatment only if the patient insists. This is not a domain where Tibetan medicine is particularly effective. Allopathic medicines work faster and are more reliable. Further, the active components of Tibetan medicine have yet to be standardised.

* Defined psychiatric and neurological diseases, have to be bio-medically clarified initially. A patient may try Tibetan pills only if the standard western medical treatment is unsuccessful, or the result inadequate.

 IV. The fourth group is especially problematic. These are cancer patients, patients with an amytrophic lateral sclerosis and with similar illnesses where biomedicine has been tried in vain. In order not to take away the last hope from such patients, or also if the chances of a successful treatment are limited, I suggest to them that they take Tibetan medicine. But one should only refer them to very experienced  and well-known Tibetan physicians.

 For the benefit of our patients, and in an effort to clear up the minor chaos that has presently occurred, we also have to rely on the understanding and collaboration of the travelling private doctors, and especially those of MEN-TSEE-KHANG - also with regard to the legal problems of their activities in German-speaking countries. A good solution would be to establish branch clinics of MEN-TSEE-KHANG in Germany and Switzerland. But, because of the difference in the rigidity of the laws between these countries and Holland, this scenario might be difficult to accomplish.

Dr. Egbert Asshauer, till recently a practising physician of Internal Medicine and Acupuncture, is based in Hamburg, Germany. Since 1984 he has been in regular contact with H. H. The Dalai Lama and Tibetan physicians in exile. His deep interest in Asian medical cultures is reflected in his numerous publications on Chinese and Tibetan medicine.