The concept of evidence-based medicine during the development of traditional Chinese medicine

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Huei-Ching Hsu, Chin-Chuan Tsai, Ming-Tsang Wu

E-da Hospital, Taiwan
I-Shou University, Taiwan
Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan

: J Regen Med

Abstract

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Evidence-based medicine exists, while digitalized computer technology and Cochrane database prevalent nowadays. The process of “kaozheng” (practicing evidential research) also exist when inconclusive narratives in ancient Chinese medicine books. For example, Shi-Zhen Li (A.D.1518-1593) the author of 27-year work, scientific Chinese medicine book, Compendium of Materia Medica, was suspicious of the Chinese five-elements theory and popular trends, made efforts to investigate the truth, point out the incorrect viewpoints of the prescription of mercury medicine at that time. Qing-Ren Wang put emphasis on inspection of dog- torn children who had died in a plague epidemic in A.D.1798. His textbook of anatomy was based on cadaveric dissection, with opposition to only imagine human anatomy by way of the ancient Chinese yin-yang cosmic system, made steps forward in reversing past misconceptions based on Chinese mysticism. Moreover, when Western anatomy was introduced to Eastern Asia, opposition to mysticism concepts in Chinese medicine, is not equal to abandon of usage of its vocabulary, which the vocabulary is more familiar to Chinese users than Latin origin ones. In the future, with clear research topics, sound study design, appropriate measurement (such as multimedia database for TCM tongue diagnosis, or Bi- sensing pulse diagnosis instrument.), National Health Insurance database in Taiwan could be explored to identify the efficacy and side-effects of TCM. But we should keep in mind, these studies must be made by way of hypothesis-driven process after reviewing associated literature, not made according to templated forms. Besides, after combining botanic resources, more EBM appraisal about TCM was looked forward to and expected.

Biography

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Huei-ching Hsu received the Bachelor of Traditional Chinese Medicine from China Medical University and pursuing her MA program in Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan. She is an attending physician of traditional Chinese medicine, instructor in the School of Chinese Medicine for Post-Baccalaureate, and also participated in education program for licensed medical staff in Taiwan.

E-mail: milkittyhsu7323@gmail.com