The World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS), founded
yesterday in
Beijing, will
establish and publish an international standard for Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM).
The lack of a globally accepted international standard has long
been a headache for TCM, said Li Zhenji, vice-director of the State
Administration of TCM.
The top priority in the WFCMS constitution is to establish such
an international standard and push forward development of TCM in
other countries and regions, Li said at the organization's founding
conference.
Headquartered in Beijing, the WFCMS will have legal status for
setting and spreading the international standards of TCM, said Li
Zhonghai, director of the Standardization
Administration of China.
Currently, TCM is not legally recognized by most of the
international community, partially due to the shortage of an
international standard and the lack of understanding of TCM, said
Li.
Other objectives of the organization are to promote
understanding and cooperation for TCM among the academic sector, to
strengthen international academic exchanges, and improve the level
of TCM according to the constitution of the WFCMS.
The organization will also assist Chinese medicine in getting
access to the mainstream medical community to make contributions to
healthcare.
As the cradle of TCM and owner of the independent patent on TCM,
China has the expertise and responsibility to draft the
international standards, Li noted.
In early April, the State Council launched the Regulation of TCM
of the People's Republic of China, which clearly stipulates that
TCM clinics, practicians and educational institutes should follow
certain standards.
The regulation also says the central government gives full
support to the international exchange and cooperation of TCM and
promotes the global spreading of TCM.
About 150 representatives from 118 TCM academic communities and
organizations from 43 countries and regions are attending the
conference.
A chairperson and other members of the WFCMS executive council
will be elected today.
TCM has spread to many countries, including Britain, where more
than 3,000 TCM clinics have opened in recent years.
During last spring's outbreak of severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS), more than 50 percent of the SARS patients in China
received TCM treatment, said She Jing, director of the State
Administration of TCM.
(China Daily September 26, 2003)
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