Cao Hongxin: Why should we support Chinese medicine?

Medicine is a science, and Chinese medicine and Western medicine are two different medical systems. In recent years, there has been continuous discussions on traditional Chinese medicine. There are Chinese medicine practitioners and black Chinese medicine practitioners. Is it good medicine or western medicine in the end? Recently, Guangming Daily conducted an exclusive interview with Cao Hongxin, former president of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, chief researcher of the Institute, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and representative inheritor of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Project (TCD).

Reporter: The topics of Chinese medicine are always on the constant, and there are detractors and those who are behind it. There is a large number of "traditional Chinese medicine powders" and "Chinese medicine blacks" on the Internet. The debate is endless. How do you think about the debate in Chinese medicine? Why do Chinese medicines ignore us for thousands of years, but why do people think that Chinese medicine “kills society”?

Cao Hongxin: In recent years, there have been some disputes about traditional Chinese medicine in the society. Is Chinese medicine an effective medical treatment? Let’s take it out.

Chinese and Western medicine are two different medical systems. Chinese medicine is based on human observation, practice and research, and forms a human-centered diagnosis and treatment model and a system that is based on the relationship between the human beings and the human beings, the unity of form and spirit, and the correlation of five organs, and the overall theoretical system. It can be said that Chinese medicine stresses harmony, Western medicine stresses confrontation. For example, when it comes to treating cancer, western medicine is to remove tumors and target therapy; while Chinese medicine emphasizes “the presence of righteousness, evil, and irresponsibleness”, and mobilizes the body's own resistance to disease to control the development of tumors and reach a state of “living with tumors”. These are two completely different ideas. Many cases have proved that this treatment concept of traditional Chinese medicine is not only effective, but also can improve the quality of life compared to Western medicine treatment. Therefore, Western medicine cannot be used to negate traditional Chinese medicine, nor can Western medicine be used to evaluate traditional Chinese medicine.

I have treated a 53-year-old Japanese male patient. After being diagnosed with small cell lung cancer, I feel that the survival time will not be too long. I would like to seek medical treatment in China. According to the traditional Chinese medicine method of replenishing qi, nourishing yin, resolving phlegm, dispelling phlegm, using traditional Chinese medicine decoction to treat syndromes and syndromes for more than two months, the symptoms of patients disappeared. After returning to China, the diagnosis and treatment was performed once every three to six months. , Change into Chinese medicine pills, and stop taking Chinese medicine after five years. In May 2011, the patient came to China for treatment with cirrhosis and ascites. He also took the decoction for more than six months and his condition improved markedly. The patient said humorously that if it was not for Chinese medicine treatment, he would have seen him once twice in the morning.

Chinese medicine is most adept at, first, health, the second is the treatment of chronic diseases, and the third is the uniqueness of difficult diseases and sudden epidemic infectious diseases. For example, in 2003 SARS, we used Chinese medicine to directly intervene under the conditions of high fever and fatigue and had not yet identified the cause of the disease, which made a major contribution to the final resolution of SARS. The World Health Organization clearly stated that the treatment of SARS with Chinese and Western medicine is safe and effective. This is a strong testimony to the fact that Chinese medicine has not only failed to harm society, but has also benefited mankind!

In the past, the West referred to traditional Chinese medicine as "supplemental alternative medicine" and now it is also called "integral medicine." Since the new century, Japan has stipulated that all medical students must learn Chinese medicine and reject the practice of canceling Chinese medicine since the Meiji Restoration. Nowadays, Europe and the United States have world-class medical scientific research institutes and world-renowned pharmaceutical companies, all have Chinese medicine research institutes, which shows that the concept and practice of Chinese medicine are not only not backward, but also lead the direction of medical development.

Whether science: science is reflected in the macro and micro overall understanding Reporter: "The TCM practitioners" frequently publish the opinion that "Chinese medicine is not scientific".

Cao Hongxin: What is science? Science is a knowledge system that reflects the objective laws of various phenomena in the real world. Chinese medicine is exactly the scientific theory that comes from practice and returns to practice.

Chinese medicine is based on human health and life information to grasp the dynamic changes in the disease, the use of vision, smell, ask, cut four kinds of diagnosis, collection of information in vitro, through the synthesis, analysis, determine the overall status of the human body (dialectronics), determine the appropriate Treatment principles and methods (theory). This method is unique and has strong pertinence. It reflects the overall view and dialectic of the Chinese from the local to the whole, from the phenomenon to the essence.

Reporter: There is a saying that Chinese medicine emphasizes integrity, but it lacks precise analysis compared to western medicine. Is this correct?

Cao Hongxin: The overall concept and syndrome differentiation and treatment are indeed two basic characteristics of TCM theory. However, TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment includes macroscopic syndrome differentiation and microcosmic syndrome differentiation. Macroscopic syndrome differentiation is based on the overall understanding of diseases, while microcosmic syndrome differentiation is the analysis of modern disease detection indicators. Variety. I once treated a 55-year-old man with coronary heart disease who chose Chinese medicine because he did not want to undergo surgery because he had no obvious symptoms of angina. We adopted a combination of macroscopic and microscopic dialectical methods. With the method of warming and benefiting the heart, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and using traditional Chinese medicine decoctions for more than eight months, the patient not only improved his physical condition, but also eliminated risk factors for cardiac events during reexamination and stopped taking them. More than two years of traditional Chinese medicine, laboratory tests were normal.

It doesn't matter: Chinese medicine is very rigorous in “differentiation and treatment”. Reporter: The “differentiation and treatment” of traditional Chinese medicine sounds quite mysterious. Is this not likely to lead people to fail to understand Chinese medicine? What is the core theory of Chinese medicine?

Cao Hongxin: Syndrome differentiation is neither mysterious nor subtle, but it is an overall understanding of human health and a certain stage of the disease state. For example, the same is “get angry”. Some show oral ulcers, some show facial acne, and others show insomnia and more. Chinese doctors analyze and judge different symptoms, including tongue and pulse, and they are different. The organs or meridians of the fire, to take targeted treatment, which shows that Chinese medicine is very scientific and very rigorous.

The core theory of Chinese medicine is that people and nature must be in harmony, and people themselves must be in a stable and balanced state. In the words of traditional Chinese medicine, it is the corresponding relationship between heaven and man, the balance of yin and yang, the coordination of organs, and the unity of form and spirit.

Reporter: The delay in the development of traditional Chinese medicine theory is obvious. This makes the reasoning of traditional Chinese medicine seem to remain at the level of ancient philosophy. Its generality and ambiguity are obviously incompatible with modern society. In order to meet the needs of modern society, how should Chinese medicine practitioners improve their own theoretical system?

Cao Hongxin: From the "Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic" to lay the foundation of the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, to "The Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases" to establish the syndrome differentiation and treatment system, which is the development; from the Six Classics of syndrome differentiation of "Treatise on Febrile Diseases" to "The Epidemic of Disease" and "The Epidemic Theory" Such profound understanding of the disease is development; from the sources of Chao Yuanfang and Sun Simiao to the development of “the four people of Jinyuan” is the development; from the emphasis on serious medical treatment to Wang Qing’s bold challenge to the predecessors’ theories and correcting them, it is development; Xilu’s achievements in integrating Chinese and Western medicine are developments. In 2011, the Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, as the first invention unit, and the major development of Artemisinin as the first inventor, contributed to the contribution of TCM to the health of the world's people. These contributions have been highly evaluated and recognized by the entire world including Western countries.

Traditional Chinese medicine should indeed enrich and improve the theoretical system today, but it must adhere to the main body of traditional Chinese medicine and follow its own laws.

What are the strengths? Preserving health, treating diseases, and treating chronic diseases are the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine. Reporter: Various TCM health programs have become very popular, which reflects people's feelings about traditional Chinese medicine. Now there is a kind of view that Chinese medicine can only make a difference in the prevention of diseases, which is often referred to as "incurable if it has been cured." How do you see?

Cao Hongxin: Health is indeed an advantage area for Chinese medicine to prevent disease. TCM health care emphasizes "timely health," "for people's health," "preserve health," and is the wisdom of the Chinese nation in maintaining health.

As early as "Huang Di Nei Jing", our ancestors put forward the concept of "doing work to cure the disease". The "prevention of disease" prevention thought of traditional Chinese medicine includes three aspects: the prevention of no disease, prevention of disease, and prevention of relapse.

Chinese medicine has a systematic theoretical understanding of chronic diseases and has formed a rich and complete method of prevention, treatment, prescription, and medicine, as well as a variety of medicines and non-drug treatments such as traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and massage. These methods have reliable curative effect, low toxic and side effects, pay attention to the overall regulation of human functions, stimulate the body's ability to resist disease and rehabilitate, and in particular can take advantage of overall regulation, comprehensive intervention, and individualized diagnosis and treatment.

As early as the Seventh Five-Year Plan period in the 1980s, the state launched the study on the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases by Chinese medicine. Coronary heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, diabetes, and tumors have entered the national "major and difficult disease prevention and treatment research" project. The “Zhongjing Project” implemented by the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences conducts clinical research on Chinese medicine in 106 items including cardiovascular diseases, tumors, anorectal diseases, hematological diseases, diabetes, AIDS, orthopaedic diseases, and ophthalmologic diseases, including chronic disease treatment. More than 75% of the project.

Reporter: The repeated exposure of so-called Chinese medicine clinics or health institutions deceptive incidents has damaged the reputation of Chinese medicine practitioners. What management and guidance ideas do you think should be taken in the face of the demanding and yet uneven TCM institutions? What are the shortcomings of the current management system?

Cao Hongxin: I believe that it should not be blamed on Chinese medicine for non-Chinese medicine or for cheating on the reputation of Chinese medicine. Health can be divided into TCM health, Taoist health, Buddhist health, and other categories, and some people just rely on a saying, a case or a secret recipe, they call the deceit of Chinese medicine, do not know the truth, and then These extremely irresponsible non-Chinese medicine, pseudo-science, and even deceptions are blamed on Chinese medicine and are even more irresponsible.

I once submitted "Proposal on the Popularization of TCM Health Care Knowledge Needed Specialization" with the many members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference at the two sessions of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. It is proposed that the TCM health market is closely related to people's health. We must give a good presentation to the "qualification" of the people. Elimination of the phenomenon of non-Chinese medicine practitioners "promoting" Chinese medicine. At present, the health care system for TCM health care is not yet complete, and scientific entry standards have not yet been established. The phenomenon of long-term management of health care institutions is widespread. Effective professional management systems and mechanisms are being explored and implemented. The State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine has established TCM health care. The service system is included in the "12th Five-Year Plan" key work.

Combination of Chinese and Western: Should Comply with Advantages and Complementarities Reporter: Over the years, China has used "integrated Chinese and western medicine" as a means to achieve the development of Chinese medicine rejuvenation. The result seems to be that Chinese medicine is shrinking. Is the road to integration of Chinese and Western medicine common? How should Chinese and Western medicine combine?

Cao Hongxin: There are many difficulties in the integration of Chinese and Western medicine. One is the difference between Eastern and Western cultures, and the other is the ambiguity of the integration of physicians and philosophers. Third, Chinese and Western medicines lack corresponding language and it is difficult to communicate. Fourth, the limitations of research methods.

However, the integration of Chinese and Western medicine pioneered by China in the world has not only become a major advantage in China's medical science and health undertakings, but also a major pioneering contribution to the development of human medicine in the 20th century.

There are many achievements in the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine in China, such as the establishment of diagnosis, treatment modes and methods combined with Western medicine differentiation of disease and TCM syndrome differentiation; the principle of acupuncture promotes the development of basic disciplines such as neurobiology, physiology, and pathophysiology; it is of great value. New drug inventions and Western medicine hospitals used a large number of proprietary Chinese medicines and so on.

The integration of Chinese and Western medicine should be from the comprehensive application of methods and technologies, to the complementary advantages of theory and practice, and to the gradual integration of theory and technology, which requires a long process of research and practice.

People's Sharing: The inclusion of Medicare is a national strategy reporter: Some provinces and cities have begun to try to increase support for Chinese medicine, and more Chinese medicine treatment projects into medical insurance. Do you think that in the reform of the medical system, how can TCM work better?

Cao Hongxin: It is a national strategy to give full play to the role of prevention and cure of Chinese medicine in medical reform. Now there are already gratifying results. First, the county hospital’s traditional Chinese medicine department is being vigorously promoted. The State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine is launching the “Basic TCM Capacity Building Project.” According to the national plan, at the end of the “Twelfth Five-Year Plan”, more than 95% of community health service centers and over 90% of township hospitals set up traditional Chinese medicine departments and pharmacies. More than 70% of the community health service stations and more than 65% of the village clinics can provide Chinese medicine services and give full play to the features of Chinese medicine: simplicity, convenience, experience, integrity, and safety. The second is to promote the advantages of Chinese medicine “prevention of disease” and build a TCM health care service system to further promote the health care knowledge of TCM into the classroom, into the family, into the community, and improve the quality of national health. Thirdly, Chinese medicine will be included in the National Medical Insurance Catalogue from Chinese Herbal Medicine Pieces to some proprietary Chinese medicines, which will provide strong support for the role of Chinese medicine. The fourth is to improve relevant policies and promote the role of Chinese medicine in the treatment of sudden infectious diseases, chronic diseases and difficult diseases.

At the same time, the state is establishing a national TCM clinical research base in 16 provinces to carry out clinical research on the treatment of major diseases with Chinese medicine, which lays a solid foundation for improving the ability of TCM to prevent and treat diseases.

Reporter: As a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), you have repeatedly raised the legislation of Chinese medicine in the two sessions of the country. Is the Chinese medicine legislation really urgent? Where are the key points in the legislation of Chinese medicine?

Cao Hongxin: Regarding the legislation of Chinese medicine, several members of the CPPCC National Committee have proposals, and it should be said that it is not only imminent, but also of great importance to the protection and sustainable development of Chinese medicine.

The Chinese medicine development promotion law has entered the stage of extensive solicitation of opinions and is included in the legislative focus of the National People's Congress this year. Chinese medicine is an advantageous industry with independent intellectual property rights in our country. Of course, our country’s laws must protect it. We must have corresponding policy support in the management system and operating mechanism, including its medicinal resources, funding, and team building. The development of traditional Chinese medicine depends on legal protection. Whether it is the mode of medical treatment of hospitals, the construction of scientific and technological innovation systems, the training of talents, or the development of traditional Chinese medicine, cultural construction, management systems, intellectual property protection and the development of ethnic medicine, etc., it should be the legislation of Chinese medicine. Content.

Industrial Development: Accelerating the Internationalization of Traditional Chinese Medicine Reporter: The development of the internationalization of Chinese medicine is not smooth on the road. On the contrary, some Asian countries that are not the birthplace of Chinese medicine have developed rapidly. What causes this? How can we make Chinese medicine better "go out"?

Cao Hongxin: I have just checked the data provided by the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and it is worrying: China, which accounts for one quarter of the world's population, has only 7% of the world's pharmaceutical industry. Natural medicines only account for the world's natural medicine market. 3%-5% of the Chinese herbal medicine exports are less than 10% of the Chinese herbal medicine market. It can be seen that the development level of the entire Chinese medicine industry is not high.

I believe that cultural differences and research on the safety of Chinese medicines are the main reasons that restrict the internationalization of Chinese medicine. However, the following factors cannot be ignored: First, the protection of intellectual property rights is weak. For example, China’s Liushen Pill is registered as “Saixin Dan” in Japan, and its annual sales exceed US$100 million. The annual output value of “Niuhuang Qingxin Pill” registered by South Korea is also nearly US$100 million, and sales of Japanese Xiaochaihu Tang can reach China. Export volume of all Chinese medicines. The second is insufficient investment in R&D, low scientific and technological content, and weak innovation capability. Although funding for Chinese medicine research has increased year by year, it is difficult to compare with Japan, South Korea, and the United States. The amount of research and development in the United States accounts for 15% of the total sales of new listed drugs, and the amount of research and development in China is less than 5%. The third is the lack of leading Chinese medicine leading enterprises. China's TCM enterprises are generally small-scale, low-industrialization, and have many kinds of imitation products. It is difficult to form the core competitiveness of “high technology”, “high input” and “high returns”. Fourth, there is a lack of evaluation standards and evaluation systems that meet the theories and practices of traditional Chinese medicine. At present, China has not yet formed a systematic and comprehensive evaluation standard for the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine, or the evaluation system of Western medicine, it is difficult to reflect the characteristics and advantages of traditional Chinese medicine.

Compared with Western medicine, the safety of Chinese medicine is reliable. Traditional Chinese medicine is an effective medical treatment that has been proven through repeated clinical observations for thousands of years and can withstand practical tests. For more than 20 years, I have prescribed more than 3 million doses of decoction to patients, including strong and toxic traditional Chinese medicines, without any side effects or adverse reactions. The so-called adverse reactions of traditional Chinese medicine are often caused by improper use. For example, due to the long-term use of Longdanxiegan pill to cause kidney failure, the “Kuanmutong incident” is caused by the fact that the medicine was not taken under the correct guidance of the doctor. It is undeniable that Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea are better able to comply with international regulations on new drug approval research and other rules, and their corresponding new drug clinical marketing studies (including adverse reactions) are more standardized, so Chinese patent medicines after their “packaging” are more likely to be Internationally accepted.

Reporter: At present, what is the level of awareness and understanding of traditional Chinese medicine in the world?

Cao Hongxin: According to statistics, there are currently 162 countries around the world that have traditional Chinese medicine and related products. The number of people using traditional Chinese medicine or natural medicines exceeds 4 billion, accounting for about 70% of the world's population, and there are 100,000 foreign Chinese medical institutions. Many, international market demand for Chinese medicine products is increasing.

I truly feel that the international recognition of Chinese medicine has been increasing. Since 2006, we have started 11 studies on "Chinese medicine and geriatric-related diseases" with Austrian universities and received funding from Austria. After more than five years of cooperation, the efficacy of Chinese medicine has been highly recognized and praised. We have also made gratifying progress in the treatment of oncology with traditional Chinese medicine in cooperation with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In addition, we have conducted comprehensive and substantial cooperation with countries including Russia, Australia, Italy, Germany, France, South Korea, and Japan. The scope includes medical treatment in TCM, scientific research, personnel training, and research and development of traditional Chinese medicine. At present, China has signed nearly 100 inter-governmental TCM cooperation agreements with more than 70 countries. Not long ago, at the “Taihu Lake Cultural Forum” held in Nanchang, the heated discussion among international medical experts on the development of traditional Chinese medicine once again confirmed that the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine has a promising future.