€1 million EU funding for Chinese medicine research

King’s College London – King’s College London successfully led a consortium bid for €995,100 of EU funding for a ground-breaking research project that will play an important role in the unification of Western and Chinese approaches to medicine.

The project entitled ‘Good Practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in the Post-genomic Era’ (GP-TCM) will review the current status of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) research, identify problems and propose solutions by applying modern methods of investigation, as well as providing a forum for the exchange of opinions, experience and expertise among scientists in the EU and China.

The three-year project aims to propose guidelines and priority areas for future research, and will lead to the formation of a new academic society, the European Society of TCM Research, which is to facilitate and foster sustainable EU-China collaboration in this area.

The research consortium consists of 29 beneficiary partner institutions and small-and-medium-sized enterprises from the EU and China. Partnerships with more than 20 additional non-beneficiary institutions, companies and independent experts are further strengthening its research.

Holistic approach

Dr Qihe Xu, Lecturer in the Department of Renal Medicine, Division of Gene and Cell Based Therapy, and coordinator of the project, explains: ‘In contrast to the reductionist approach of Western medicine that is based on modern anatomy and cell and molecular biology, TCM uses a unique theory system and an individualised holistic approach to describe health and disease, which is based on the philosophy of Yin-Yang balance. These two medicine systems disagree with each other in many situations since they observe health from their own limited perspective. GP-TCM aims to inform best practice and harmonise research of the safety and efficacy of TCM, especially Chinese herbal medicines and acupuncture, in the EU.’

‘The project will be divided into ten parts, which will review aspects of quality control, extraction and analysis of Chinese herbal medicines. Discussion fora that explore the role of functional genomics methodology in researching the safety, efficacy and mechanisms of action of Chinese herbal medicines and acupuncture are at the core of this project. New guidelines about good practice and agreed protocols in related research areas will harmonise future TCM research in the EU, and online tools and research resources will be made available to all EU member states. As an open-start and open-ending consortium, we will invite more organisations to become involved in the work.’

Professor Peter Hylands, Head of the Department of Pharmacy and Director of the Centre for Natural Medicines Research, continues: ‘We are delighted to be part of this unique group. In the Centre for Natural Medicines Research at King’s we are examining the application of emerging technologies to the solution of difficult problems in the use of traditional medicines. This forum provides an unparalleled opportunity to share our experiences with Chinese and European colleagues and together to develop a 21st-century road map for the global development of traditional medicines.’

Professor Bruce Hendry, Professor of Renal Medicine, concludes: ‘This programme grant is an excellent opportunity for King’s College London to play a leading role in the unification of Western and Chinese approaches to medicinal therapeutics.’

Canada, Hong Kong paired up in TCM

Signing of Four MOUs a Major Step Forward in Cooperation

HK gov release – Chinese medicine received a significant shot in the arm today with the signing of four memorandums of understanding between Canadian and Hong Kong institutes.

The four MOUs cover collaboration in the research, technology transfer, commercialisation and promotion of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and health products in the two markets. Read more

World’s first online database of latest integrative cancer research is now live

InspireHealth press release – Vancouver-based InspireHealth (formerly the Centre for Integrated Healing) today announced that the world’s first central database of integrative cancer research from around the globe is now available online – and free of charge – for cancer patients, the medical community and the general public.

The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, BC/Yukon Chapter has awarded InspireHealth a grant of $142,382 to fund its new “Research Information System” for three years. The System searches medical databases world-wide for the latest research on cancer care treatments that can be added to conventional treatments on an integrated basis (such as nutrition, exercise, supplements, meditation, yoga, emotional and spiritual support etc…) and then catalogues the articles in a central database. As of today, all of the articles are available for viewing through InspireHealth’s Web site (www.inspirehealth.ca).

“There is a growing body of research that clearly demonstrates the effectiveness and growing acceptance of integrated cancer care. However, the challenge is often in finding that information,” said Dr. Hal Gunn, co-founder and CEO of InspireHealth. “Now we’re pleased to offer what we believe to be the world’s most comprehensive central resource for cancer patients and the medical community alike to find the latest integrated cancer care information.

The growing collection currently contains more than 750 abstracts and will be updated regularly. Every article in the database has been evaluated by InspireHealth physicians before being catalogued by Andrea Freeman, InspireHealth’s Clinical Librarian. Ms. Freeman has a Master’s degree in Library and Information Studies from the University of British Columbia, and has worked in a variety of medical library settings, before helping to create this online research catalogue.

“By sharing this growing body of evidence, we hope it will help inspire the health care system and patients alike to incorporate taking care of one’s mind, body, spirit and immune system along with conventional cancer treatments,” Dr. Gunn added. “We extend our warmest gratitude to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation for their generous support.

We are also grateful to the BC Foundation for Prostate Disease, which provided a grant of $13,000 to fund the start-up costs of the System.”

Establishing this research database is part of an expansion of patient care planned by InspireHealth, which has been known up to now as the Centre of Integrated Healing founded in 1997 in Vancouver by Dr. Gunn and Dr. Roger Rogers. In 2001, Dr. Rogers – now retired – received the Order of BC for his pioneering work in integrated cancer care.

Dr. Gunn says changing the Centre’s name to InspireHealth will strengthen the organization’s position as a Canadian pioneer in integrated cancer care and the promotion of health. “There is little doubt that we are fast approaching a situation in which the current healthcare model will become economically unsustainable,” Dr. Gunn added. “We need to broaden our emphasis from the current sole focus of treating illness to one which engages people in their own care with a focus on illness prevention through an integrated healthcare approach. We help our patients employ this ‘whole-person’ approach.”

“At InspireHealth, we encourage cancer patients to take a hands-on approach to improving their own health and quality of life. About 85 per cent of our patients come to us by referral and learn a variety of approaches to ‘whole-person’ health and healing that they can use in addition to conventional cancer treatment. Making the most of these new approaches often results in patients living better – and sometimes living longer.”

In addition to the online database, InspireHealth also publishes Research Updates, a monthly publication of the most recent integrated cancer care studies. Anyone interested in receiving Research Updates by E-mail or regular mail is encouraged to contact InspireHealth in Vancouver at (604) 734-7125.

InspireHealth is the only partially government funded integrated cancer care centre in Canada and employs provincially funded medical doctors. It has served over 4000 patients to date and aims to increase that number to 2,000 annually patients by 2012. InspireHealth also has working partnerships with the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, BC/Yukon Chapter, the BC Cancer Agency, and the BC Foundation for Prostate Research.

chinese medicine

China’s traditional medicine to use scientific help to expand market

Xinhua – The Chinese government is to fund scientific research into traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to improve standards and to study new applications in order to expand its appeal abroad as an effective alternative to Western remedies and chemicals.

In a development outline on TCM, jointly prepared by 16 ministries, the government said that in the next 13 years, it would concentrate scientific support for traditional medicine as it might become “the breakthrough of Chinese innovation on the world stage”.

“Science might solve the key problems of traditional medicine’s development in modern times, so as to complement the ways we view and treat diseases,” the outline said.

It also set a goal to help traditional healing methods and herbal medicines gain a footing on overseas “mainstream” health care markets by 2020.

The government also aims to launch international research programs to promote TCM and establish two influential traditional medicine research institutes and information exchange centers.

Over the past five years, the government has invested $740m yuan (US$92.5m) in TCM research and development.

The plan also said the central and local governments would increase funding for TCM scientific research and actively seek investment from domestic businesses and overseas sources.

It said government will also try to establish a better system of standards for TCM treatments, drug production, medical scientific research and market entry.

Long before the start of modern medical science, the Chinese had developed complex theories in treating illness. Folk doctors used simple tools such as acupuncture needles and concocted remedies from natural ingredients, such as wild plants and animal parts.

The first Chinese medical classic — The Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Medicine — dates back to between 403 BC and 221 BC. Ancient urn fragments suggest the Chinese might have a history of brewing herbs to treat diseases going back 8,000 years.

But TCM declined in the mid 19th Century due to the growing popularity of Western medicine. TCM was even officially banned for a time under the rule of the Kuomintang Party.

After the founding of the people’s republic, TCM was rehabilitated and developed along side Western medicine. About 3,000 hospitals in China provide TCM treatments to nearly 234 million patients each year.

Despite its popularity, TCM is not widely used in health care systems abroad and faces criticism at home. Among the accusations, critics say TCM’s theories lack scientific evidence and its remedies are ineffective and, in some cases, unsafe.

A nationwide debate erupted over the survival of TCM last year after an on-line proposal by Zhang Gongyao, a professor with Central South University, that health authorities remove TCM practices from national health services.

The Ministry of Health has strongly opposed the proposal, saying, “TCM is an inseparable and important component of China’s health sector.” Many outraged opponents said Zhang’s ideas “ignored history and might kill off Chinese culture”.

Other health experts say TCM is and should be widely used in China’s public health care system as many low-income families cannot afford Western medicines. If developed well, TCM could even reverse the perception of the money-obsessed culture of health care caused by expensive Western treatments and chemical drugs, they said.

Speaking on TCM’s shortcomings, Liu Gengtao, a research fellow with Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said TCM practitioners could learn more about diagnosing illnesses using Western medical techniques.

He welcomed the government plan, saying it could prompt researchers to use science to interpret the values and unique theories of traditional medicine and speed up the development of marketable and effective herbal medicines by combining the best of Eastern and the Western practices.

“China will develop a number of new herbal medicines in the next 10 to 20 years,” Liu said.

“Unlike western medicine, which focuses solely on the disease, Chinese traditional remedy takes a holistic approach.” said Wang Jie, president of the Guanganmen Hospital.

He said the co-existence of TCM and Western medicine was unique to China’s health system, and by incorporating the two, China might invent an advanced system of medicine and take the global lead in medical science.

He thought TCM could have “more advantage” in treating chronic illnesses such as cancers, but said more research should be done to gain the scientific evidence.

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China seeks innovation in traditional medicine

SciDev.Net – In an attempt to promote innovation in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), China has launched a long-term development plan to boost research in the field.

The 15-year plan, launched on March 21, will establish a TCM-based system of disease prevention and clinical treatment, improve modern TCM manufacturing techniques and create a set of internationally recognisable TCM standards.

“Among all academic disciplines in China, the breakthroughs in TCM have the greatest potential for China to develop original scientific innovations,” said Liu Yanhua, vice-minister of science and technology, speaking at the launch.

The plan was initiated by the Ministry of Science and Technology and involved 16 government ministries and administrations, including the Ministries of Health and Education, the State Administration of TCM and the China State Food and Drug Administration.

Unlike previous schemes, which stressed the modernisation of TCM with scientific methods, the new plan attaches equal importance to original TCM theories.

It says that both traditional knowledge and innovation are important to TCM’s development and that innovation should be based on the field’s traditional ethos and experience.

But the plan also seeks to establish a system of standards and regulations for TCM that will be recognised internationally.

Zhang Chaozhong of the TCM Development Strategy Research Group at the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China said, “Established European Union, United States and International Organization for Standardization drug evaluation standards are not suitable to evaluate TCM, as modern medicine and TCM are totally different medical systems.”

He said that Western medicine is based on a clear understanding of disease-causing mechanisms in order to develop specific treatments.

In contrast, TCM treatments are based on functional analysis of the patient’s entire body, and use the body’s self-healing abilities along with drugs and other medications.

Wang Zhimin, director of the natural medicine department at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, said no matter how much the holistic and tailored characteristics of TCM are respected, their stability and reliability should be emphasised in order to increase recognition on the international market.

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