Inheritance and Development-Way to Achieve TCM Modernization

For a period of time to come, China will achieve the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) under the principle of attaching equal importance to inheritance and development, said She Jing, Vice-Minister of Health and Director of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, at the 2001 National TCM Working Conference held in Beijing on February 20.

He pointed out that with the fast development of modern science and medicine, some of the original advantages of TCM have experienced changes of different degrees;, however, there has not yet been any fundamental changes in the poor and weak base of TCM; The leading position of TCM in the world is faced with severe challenges as many countries have stepped up research on TCM.

In an effort to meet the challenges, She called for tackling the following tasks:

1. Systematically collating ancient books and documents on TCM, researching various academic schools of medicines of past ages and doing a better job in inheritance of the academic experience of senior TCM experts;

2. Conscientiously studying, improving and popularizing the diagnostic technology and methods with TCM characteristics, and stepping up construction of standardization and normalization;

3. Conducting basic theoretical and clinical studies on TCM and perfecting its related system through the active use of modern science and technology as well as traditional method;

4. Strengthening examination of specialized knowledge and skill of TCM and training and bringing up a new generation of renowned TCM doctors through strictly implementing the examination system for granting permit to TCM doctors to practice medicine;

5. Encouraging Western medicine doctor to learn TCM and strengthening research on the theory and method pertinent to the combination of Chinese and Western medicines to form a superior branch of learning characterized by such a combination; and

6. Systematically sorting out the national medical theory and diagnostic technology and thus raising the academic level of medicine.



By PD Online Staff Deng Gang


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