I AM a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioner and I am very disappointed that there is still no cure for AIDS. We all know that the HIV viruses can destroy the immune system and thus decrease its strength against diseases and illnesses.

AIDS, from TCM's point of view, occurs when the human body is not strong enough to fight against outside intruders or the body itself has lost its natural balance, either caused by itself or HIV viruses. When AIDS patients regain their strength, the symptoms of the disease will gradually disappear, although the HIV virus will remain inside the body.

TCM has many ways to increase the body's natural strength. Together with patients' determination, and careful adjustments to their lifestyle, I believed that a high percentage of HIV sufferers could eventually be cured by TCM alone or a combination ofmodern medicines. Many TCM organisations have put a lot of effort into AIDS research. Some have already had very impressive results, such as reports from the Chinese University of Hongkong where it was discovered that more than 20 different kinds of herbs have the capability to suppress the growth of the HIV virus in the laboratory. Even so, I still have not seen the Hongkong Government encourage, support or participate in the research and treatment of TCM on AIDS patients. In my opinion, the Government should give its full support to clinical testing of AIDS patients with TCM treatment or a combination of TCM treatment with modern medicines.