Photography by Thomas L. Kelly (2004)

These images show the T.A.R. Tibetan Medicine Factory in Lhasa, the largest Tibetan medicine factory in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Workers wearing protective overalls and face masks are a regular sight in Tibetan medicine factories in China. The Chinese Drug Administration Law (2001) made “Good Manufacturing Practices” (GMP) a requirement for the production of all Tibetan medicines sold on the market.

For most Tibetan medicine companies, the introduction of GMP mandated the construction of new factories and the purchase of new equipment. While officially considered a big success, some doctors and patients bemoan that industrial Tibetan medicines are less effective and that their production places a strain on the natural resources of the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau.