Prescribing Chinese patent medicines without traditional Chinese medicine training is now banned in China
Journal Title: Traditional Medicine Research - Year 2019, Vol 4, Issue 5
Abstract
On July 1, 2019, the website of the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China issued the “Notice on printing and distributing the first batch of national key monitoring and rational drugs (chemicals and biological products)” (National Health Office Medical Letter [2019] No. 558) [1], where the third article stipulates: “Other types of physicians, after not less than one year of systematically studying Chinese medicine professional knowledge and passing the examination, in accordance with the basic principles of syndrome differentiation, can issue prescriptions for Chinese patent medicine”. This mandates that Western medicine doctors in China no longer prescribe Chinese patent medicines (CPM) without completing the required training. Before the implementation of this regulation, it was common for Western medicine doctors to prescribe CPM. The market for CPM is quite large [2]. Many traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctors believe that Western medicine doctors who have not received specific training in TCM run the risk of incorrectly prescribing CPM [3]. In fact, the vast majority of CPM are subject to the same evaluation criteria and assessment procedures as are chemical drugs. CPM are evaluated using modern medical evaluation systems, are evaluated after they are marketed, and are subjected to standardized clinical trials rather than to evaluation using the TCM theory. Patients experiencing toxic effects from the use of TCM are found to be genetically susceptible to the effects of certain herb ingredient. For example, a recent study found that the genetic basis for susceptibility to Heshouwu (Fallopia multiflora), resulting in liver damage, is the HLA-B*35:01 allele [4]. It is difficult for Western medicine doctors to identify which patients may be genetically susceptible to the toxic effects of Heshouwu (Fallopia multiflora). The method of syndrome differentiation based on TCM theory has also proven to be unsuccessful in identifying this susceptibility. In China, Chinese and Western medicine systems are equally important, and both are held in high regard [5]. As early as the 1950s, China organized various “Western Medicine Learning TCM” classes [6] and successfully trained a group of integrated medicine physicians. At the present time, 70% of CPM are prescribed by Western medicine doctors [7]. This above-mentioned regulation restricts Western medicine doctors from prescribing CPM that patients can purchase from pharmacies, and, furthermore, compels Western medicine doctors to gain knowledge in TCM. We question whether this will result in Western medicine doctors abandoning the use of CPM. Interestingly, the stock prices of CPM companies offered in the A-share market fell after these new regulations were announced.
Authors and Affiliations
Editor Group of Traditional Medicine Research
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP49631
- DOI 10.12032/TMR20190725126
- Views 276
- Downloads 0
Application of monoclonal antibody against ginsenoside in ginseng research: a review
Panax genus belonging to a family of Araliaceae grow in Asia (9 species) and in North America (2 species). Especially Panax ginseng was listed in Chinese medical book, Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica approximately 2...
Effects of acupuncture treatment for irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis
his article has selected a variety of major medical retrieval system. Based on the Meta-Analysis of the 17 documents, the effect of different types of acupuncture on irritable bowel syndrome in 4 evaluation criteria was...
India’s indigenous idea of herd immunity: the solution for COVID-19?
Based on folklore and traditional wisdom, when a shepherd purchases a few new sheep from an unknown seller or from a distant place, he keeps them away from his old flock of sheep for a period of 15 days. This, in other w...
The effect of long-term traditional Chinese medicine treatment on disease-free survival of postoperative stage I-III lung cancer patients: a retrospective cohort study
Objective: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been extensively used as one of popular alternative therapies for several cancers. However, it remains unclear whether TCM treatment is associated with longer survival in...
Study on an innovative natural drug for Alzheimer's disease reported as a sham
The number of patients with dementia is estimated to be as high as 24 million and is predicted to double every 20 years, i.e., by 2040, leading to a tremendous financial disease burden [1]. Therefore, we urgently need to...