China demands evidence that traditional medicine injections really work

Better late, then never! 😊

"China is about to apply its growing scientific expertise to one of its most cherished cultural treasures: traditional medicine. Last fall, government agencies with authority over pharmaceuticals and health issued draft guidelines calling on companies that make traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) injections—many of them used for decades—to provide evidence that they are safe and effective and explain how they work. If the companies don’t comply, their products will be removed from the market. ...

will only apply to TCM products that are injected intramuscularly or intravenously, not to the remedies widely taken by mouth in China and overseas. TCM injections have been plagued by inconsistent evidence of benefits and a spotty safety record. ..."

China demands evidence that traditional medicine injections really work | Science | AAAS

What’s the science behind acupuncture?

This is still a question today? Acupuncture has become a recognized treatment option some 50 years ago in Western countries.

Is it not still a fringe form of treatment?

"... Although the picture remains incomplete, several lines of research are elucidating the biological underpinnings of acupuncture. They include the involvement of endogenous opioids and the role of loose connective tissue—including fascia, a body-wide network of collagen fibers embedded in an extracellular matrix rich in hyaluronic acid and other proteins. This tissue could be the medium that transmits the effects of local needling to distant systems, echoing the TCM concept of meridians.

By giving ancient ideas a modern scientific footing, recent discoveries are bolstering Western acceptance and strengthening the case that acupuncture’s benefits are not just a placebo effect. ..."

What’s the science behind acupuncture? | PNAS "Recent studies offer insights into how the ancient technique works, while newer approaches are bolstering acupuncture with insights from Western medicine."

Disclaimer

I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.

My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

Hong Kong to open first Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) hospital with 400 beds in 2025, but why only now?

I am not convinced! For my taste, there is too much mystique, fairy tale, and superstition attached to TCM.

What! Costs twice as much!