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Traditional Chinese medicine is science, not witchcraft
By Fu Shuangqi, Wang Huan and Gu Ye |
November 30, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
EXPERTS in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are hoping UNESCO's recent listing of acupuncture and moxibustion, the traditional Chinese therapy of burning the mugwort herb against the skin, as intangible cultural heritage might herald a revival of TCM.
Yuan Xiaohong, a student at the School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, is often frustrated by the distrust of the traditional therapies. "In my hometown, most people know little about acupuncture. They regard it as akin to witchcraft," says the 23-year-old from southeast China's Fujian Province.
For centuries before Western medicine entered the country about 200 years ago, needles were standard tools for Chinese doctors.
"It is definitely good and exciting news for acupuncture doctors that the therapy is on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage," Yuan says. "We can see that the authorities have begun to pay more attention to the development of acupuncture therapy."
Effective therapies
"Although a relative newcomer in China, Western medicine has become the mainstream. Now many Chinese have little understanding of traditional therapies like acupuncture and moxibustion," says Zhao Jiping, doctor at the Dongzhimen Hospital of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, where people can queue for half a day to see an acupuncture specialist.
"More and more people are finding that acupuncture and moxibustion can help maintain and improve health with few side effects, but people don't realize that our ancestors proved them to be effective therapies for diseases, including very serious ones," Zhao says.
At small and local hospitals, acupuncture is only used to treat a very limited number of conditions, such as neural diseases, she says. "In fact, acupuncture can be applied in a much wider range of conditions."
Dr Zhao and her colleagues have treated patients with skin diseases, sterility, depression, cancers and even AIDS. But the number of major Chinese medicine hospitals like Dongzhimen is very small. "Much of the knowledge our ancestors developed from the experience of thousands has been lost in the past two centuries. It is difficult to recover," she says.
Higher prices
Anne Koppang, a Norwegian student of acupuncture and moxibustion at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, says, "In Norway, people regard acupuncture and moxibustion as alternative treatments. The UNESCO listing may help more foreigners know about and accept traditional Chinese therapies."
But experts say more work is needed to counter the many challenges ahead.
Professor Tu Ya of the School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, has lobbied for years to raise charges for acupuncture and moxibustion.
"According to the Beijing health department, a patient is charged 4 yuan (US$0.6) per visit to an acupuncture doctor. The charge has not changed in 20 years," says Tu.
She does not suggest a new amount, but says the charge should increase with the level of incomes and inflation. "The charge for acupuncture treatment is covered by the state medical insurance so raising the price does not mean increasing the financial burden on patients. A reasonable charge shows respect and recognition of the knowledge and work of the acupuncture doctors."
She also questions whether it is appropriate to evaluate the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion according to Western medical standards. Western medicines are evaluated by clinical tests on a large number of samples whose results are repeatable, Tu says.
"Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, is more customized. We believe every patient is unique and the treatment will be unique. The same symptoms on different patients may lead to different diagnoses and treatments, which is very hard to evaluate by the Western approach... The development of a universal medicine should not build on the obliteration of styles of traditional and local medicine."
Dr Zhao wants the government to increase investment in Chinese medicines. "If being an acupuncture doctor means a decent life and relatively good income, more young people will join this vocation."
Yuan Xiaohong, a student at the School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, is often frustrated by the distrust of the traditional therapies. "In my hometown, most people know little about acupuncture. They regard it as akin to witchcraft," says the 23-year-old from southeast China's Fujian Province.
For centuries before Western medicine entered the country about 200 years ago, needles were standard tools for Chinese doctors.
"It is definitely good and exciting news for acupuncture doctors that the therapy is on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage," Yuan says. "We can see that the authorities have begun to pay more attention to the development of acupuncture therapy."
Effective therapies
"Although a relative newcomer in China, Western medicine has become the mainstream. Now many Chinese have little understanding of traditional therapies like acupuncture and moxibustion," says Zhao Jiping, doctor at the Dongzhimen Hospital of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, where people can queue for half a day to see an acupuncture specialist.
"More and more people are finding that acupuncture and moxibustion can help maintain and improve health with few side effects, but people don't realize that our ancestors proved them to be effective therapies for diseases, including very serious ones," Zhao says.
At small and local hospitals, acupuncture is only used to treat a very limited number of conditions, such as neural diseases, she says. "In fact, acupuncture can be applied in a much wider range of conditions."
Dr Zhao and her colleagues have treated patients with skin diseases, sterility, depression, cancers and even AIDS. But the number of major Chinese medicine hospitals like Dongzhimen is very small. "Much of the knowledge our ancestors developed from the experience of thousands has been lost in the past two centuries. It is difficult to recover," she says.
Higher prices
Anne Koppang, a Norwegian student of acupuncture and moxibustion at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, says, "In Norway, people regard acupuncture and moxibustion as alternative treatments. The UNESCO listing may help more foreigners know about and accept traditional Chinese therapies."
But experts say more work is needed to counter the many challenges ahead.
Professor Tu Ya of the School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, has lobbied for years to raise charges for acupuncture and moxibustion.
"According to the Beijing health department, a patient is charged 4 yuan (US$0.6) per visit to an acupuncture doctor. The charge has not changed in 20 years," says Tu.
She does not suggest a new amount, but says the charge should increase with the level of incomes and inflation. "The charge for acupuncture treatment is covered by the state medical insurance so raising the price does not mean increasing the financial burden on patients. A reasonable charge shows respect and recognition of the knowledge and work of the acupuncture doctors."
She also questions whether it is appropriate to evaluate the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion according to Western medical standards. Western medicines are evaluated by clinical tests on a large number of samples whose results are repeatable, Tu says.
"Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, is more customized. We believe every patient is unique and the treatment will be unique. The same symptoms on different patients may lead to different diagnoses and treatments, which is very hard to evaluate by the Western approach... The development of a universal medicine should not build on the obliteration of styles of traditional and local medicine."
Dr Zhao wants the government to increase investment in Chinese medicines. "If being an acupuncture doctor means a decent life and relatively good income, more young people will join this vocation."
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