By Zhang Feng

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/296746/forum_seeks_right_path_for
_tcm_globalization/index.html?source=r_health

Globalization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) should be
stepped up to help provide people worldwide with better healthcare,
experts said.

TCM has proven effective throughout China's long history of fighting
against various diseases, well before Western medicine was imported
into China in the 19th century. Even now, TCM is still playing a
vital role in caring for the world's most populous country.

For example, over the past three years, Chinese doctors have proved
that TCM is more effective than Western medicine in preventing and
treating SARS, said Deng Tietao, leading doctor and lifelong
professor of TCM at Guangzhou University.

He made the remarks at the two-day First China Forum for
Globalization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which opened in
Beijing on Saturday.

The forum is sponsored by the China Association of TCM, China
Medical Association of Minorities and the Chinese Medicine Committee
of World Confederation of Productivity Science China Chapter.

Moreover, thanks to TCM, Chinese people have never worried much
about the flu, like the Western world has been.

TCM centres around the idea of life preservation and the promotion
of health and patients do not have to suffer from the side effects
of drugs, pain and injury from unnecessary medical examinations and
techniques, said Deng.

Since people everywhere are paying more attention to harmonious
interaction with nature and to methods of maintaining health and
preventing sickness, TCM will continue to grow in popularity,
experts said.

However, due to cultural differences, various obstacles set up by
the Western health and medicine authorities, the lack of
communication between the practitioners of TCM and the outside world
and many other factors, the globalization process of TCM is rather
slow.

Almost all the speakers were in consensus that TCM should maintain
its unique characteristics and direction of growth, instead of
blindly imitating or catering to the standards of Western medicine.

It is unfair and incorrect for the Western world to say that TCM is
not a science and should be "westernized", said experts.

So the globalization of TCM absolutely does not mean
its "Westernization", experts stressed.

The globalization of TCM depends on the comprehensive development of
the country's economy, foreign affairs, and other aspects.

Without the strong backup of an open and rapidly developing economy,
globalization will remain a dream, experts said.

Meanwhile, public education is required to make people believe in
TCM, instead of blindly trusting Western medicines.

For example, in China's hospitals, only 10 per cent of the doctors
know how to give a TCM prescription, and the rest treat patients
with Western medicines, said experts.

The globalization of TCM should not only depend on the export of
medicines or herbs.

Because doctors play a very important role in TCM treatment,
increasing the number of TCM doctors in China and other countries is
what will aid globalization.

The culture of TCM, which is an important part of Chinese culture,
also needs to be spread widely around the world to awaken more
interest in the science, experts said.



Source: China Daily; North American ed.