A full dispensary of TGA-listed Chinese herbs, individually prescribed by AHPRA-registered practitioner Dr Christine Shen — serving Lane Cove, Chatswood, Artarmon and the wider North Shore.
Chinese herbal medicine is one of the oldest and most sophisticated systems of plant-based therapeutics in the world, with a clinical tradition spanning more than two thousand years. At Lane Cove Acupuncture, we maintain a full in-clinic dispensary — meaning your prescription can be dispensed, prepared and explained to you at the time of your consultation, without the delays of third-party ordering.
Unlike off-the-shelf health food products or pre-packaged herbal supplements, the formulas prescribed by Dr Christine Shen are constructed individually for each patient. The same presenting complaint in two different people may require quite different herbal approaches, because Chinese medicine treats the underlying constitutional pattern rather than a diagnostic label alone.
This level of individualised care is a genuine advantage for North Shore patients who have tried standardised supplement regimes without meaningful results. When a herbal formula is built specifically for your physiology and your current pattern of imbalance, the response is typically more precise and more sustained.
We stock both concentrated granule extracts (convenient for busy North Shore professionals — simply dissolve in hot water) and raw herbs for patients who prefer traditional preparation. Dr Shen will advise which form best suits your prescription and lifestyle.
Every formula is built from scratch at your consultation. Dr Shen selects, combines and doses individual herbs based on your TCM diagnosis — no standardised products, no guesswork.
Collect your formula from the Lane Cove clinic, or arrange express-post delivery anywhere on the North Shore or across Sydney — ideal for busy Chatswood and Artarmon professionals.
Chinese herbal medicine is only as good as the practitioner prescribing it. Here is what distinguishes Dr Shen’s approach from generic herbal products available elsewhere.
Dr Shen holds full Chinese medicine registration with AHPRA and is authorised to prescribe Schedule 4 Chinese herbal medicines — a level of professional authority that over-the-counter herbal products cannot replicate.
Every herb in our dispensary is TGA-listed and sourced from reputable, quality-assured suppliers. We do not use unregistered or unverified herbal materials. Your safety is non-negotiable.
At every herbal consultation, Dr Shen reviews your current medications and supplements to identify and avoid potential interactions. This is a safety step that many herbal products simply cannot perform.
Your formula is not fixed. As your condition responds and your pattern of imbalance shifts, Dr Shen adjusts the prescription accordingly — a dynamic approach that off-the-shelf products cannot match.
Chinese herbal medicine is frequently used alongside acupuncture, or as a standalone treatment where needles are not preferred. Below is a comprehensive (though not exhaustive) list of conditions Dr Shen regularly addresses with herbal prescribing.
Chinese herbal medicine is powerful and effective when prescribed correctly. At Lane Cove Acupuncture, every herbal prescription is underpinned by rigorous professional and safety standards.
Dr Christine Shen is registered with AHPRA through the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia. This registration is a legal requirement to practise Chinese herbal medicine in Australia and involves ongoing continuing education and adherence to a professional code of conduct.
All herbs dispensed at our Lane Cove clinic are sourced from TGA-listed suppliers. This means they have been assessed for quality, identity and purity by Australia’s regulatory authority. We do not stock or dispense unregistered herbal materials.
Dr Shen screens for herb-drug and herb-supplement interactions at every herbal consultation. This is especially important for North Shore patients managing conditions with multiple pharmaceutical medications. Transparency about your current medications is essential.
We encourage collaborative care. If you would like Dr Shen to communicate with your general practitioner or specialist about your herbal treatment, this can be arranged. We believe integrative medicine works best when all practitioners are informed.
A note on safety: Chinese herbal medicine is not without risks when prescribed incorrectly or by unregistered practitioners. Always ensure your herbal practitioner holds current AHPRA registration in Chinese medicine. Dr Christine Shen’s registration can be verified at the AHPRA public register.
We understand that North Shore professionals and families are time-poor. Attending a dispensary appointment, waiting for herbs to be prepared, and then travelling back to Chatswood or Artarmon for a busy afternoon is not always practical.
That’s why we have structured our herbal medicine service to be as convenient as possible. Granule herbs are dispensed at the time of your consultation — ready to take home immediately. For subsequent prescription refills, express-post delivery is available throughout North Shore Sydney and beyond, so your treatment continues without interruption even during your busiest weeks.
For patients managing ongoing conditions, Dr Shen can also conduct herbal review consultations via telehealth — meaning you can check in, discuss your response to treatment, and receive an updated prescription without leaving your Longueville or Willoughby home.
For patients who cannot attend the Lane Cove clinic in person — whether due to work commitments, caring responsibilities, or distance — Dr Shen offers telehealth herbal medicine consultations. Initial consultations are best conducted in person where possible, but established patients can continue their herbal care remotely with confidence.
Telehealth herbal consultations are conducted via secure video call. Herbs are then prepared and express-posted to your North Shore address, typically arriving within one to two business days.
This model is particularly popular with Chatswood and North Sydney professionals who travel frequently for work, and with new mothers in Lane Cove and Longueville managing postnatal recovery alongside infant care.
Herbal medicine consultations are priced separately from acupuncture. Some health funds provide rebates for herbal medicine consultations with an AHPRA-registered practitioner.
Health fund rebates may be available for herbal medicine consultations through select funds. HICAPS is available on-site. Confirm herbal medicine rebate eligibility with your fund before your consultation.
Chinese herbal medicine available in Lane Cove, with express-post delivery for patients across the North Shore including:
