Elevating traditional Chinese medicine in global health research: The case for Chinese herbal medicine formulas in mainstream therapeutics
In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the publication of clinical research on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in internationally renowned journals. Historically, publications on TCM in top medical journals such as the Annals of Internal Medicine, the British Medical Journal, The Lancet, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and the New England Journal of Medicine have predominantly focused on acupuncture, with over 46 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published on this topic. In contrast, only three RCTs on Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) formulas have been published in these five journals. However, there have been nearly 200 RCTs on CHM formulas published in Q1 journals, indicating a significant body of research in this area within the top-tier scientific community. A prime example of this is the recent publication of “Traditional Chinese medicine FYTF-919 (Zhongfeng Xingnao oral prescription) for the treatment of acute intracerebral haemorrhage: a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, clinical trial” in The Lancet on November 12, 2024.1 This publication underscores the growing recognition of CHM formulas in mainstream therapeutics and presents significant opportunities for further investigation and reflection in this field.
Rising global visibility: Publishing CHM formula clinical trials in prestigious journals
The publication of the clinical study on CHM formulas for treating H1N1 influenza that was led by Professor Chen Wang and featured in the Annals of Internal Medicine has generated considerable interest among scholars in the efficacy and safety of CHM formulas.2 The publication of “Traditional Chinese medicine FYTF-919 (Zhongfeng Xingnao oral prescription) for the treatment of acute intracerebral haemorrhage: a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, clinical trial” in The Lancet on November 12, 20241 (referred to hereafter as “the paper”) represents a landmark achievement, being the first multicenter clinical trial involving a CHM formula to be published in this prestigious journal since its inception in 1823. This milestone indicates a growing trend toward publishing clinical reports on CHM interventions in leading international journals. In 2023, the JAMA journals also published four pivotal RCTs on CHM that examined their efficacy in treating acute myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and sepsis. These studies bolster CHM’s evidence-based innovation and implementation. The TCM community must capitalize on this momentum by designing scientifically rigorous studies and implementing CHM interventions with precise indications. Doing so will advance international recognition of TCM and help establish CHM interventions as a universally acknowledged therapeutic approach.
