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Modern Western Science as a Standard for Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Critical Appraisal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2021

Ruiping Fan
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Extract

It is generally recognized that China, while attempting to develop modern scientific medicine in carrying out its national policy for modernization, has also made significant efforts to integrate traditional Chinese medicine into its health care system. For instance, the World Health Organization's first global strategy on traditional and alternative medicine (released in May 2002) lists China as one of only four of its member states to have attained an integrative health care system. However, medical integration can take many different forms and involve quite different health care standards. A health care standard is a set of mechanisms by which distinct diagnostic and therapeutic practices and products are validated or accredited for use in health care delivery. Traditional Chinese medicine and modern scientific medicine adopt different sets of such mechanisms and thereby engage different health care standards. Accordingly, in appraising the Chinese integrative health care system, it is important to investigate which health care standard has been appealed to.

Type
Article
Information
Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics , Volume 31 , Issue 2 , Summer 2003 , pp. 213 - 221
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics 2003

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References

The World Health Organization has defined three types of health systems to describe the degree to which traditional medicine/complementary and alternative medicine is an officially recognized element of health care. “In an integrative system, TM/CAM [traditional medicine/complementary and alternative medicine] is officially recognized and incorporated into all areas of health care provision…. An inclusive system recognizes TM/CAM, but has not yet fully integrated it into all aspects of health care, be this health care delivery, education and training, or regulation…. With a tolerant system, the national health care system is based entirely on allopathic medicine, but some TM/CAM practices are tolerated by law.” See World Health Organization, WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2002–2005 (Geneva: WHO, 2002): At 8–9, available at <http://www.who.int/medicines/library/trm/trm_strat_eng.pdf>..>Google Scholar
Ian Holliday categorizes four different forms of relation between modern scientific medicine and traditional Chinese medicine based on his research on the East Asian countries: Integration (nondiscrimination and fusion, such as mainland China), equalization (nondiscrimination and separation, such as South Korea and Taiwan), subjugation (discrimination and fusion, such as Japan), and marginalization (discrimination and separation, such as Hong Kong and Singapore). See Holliday, I., “Traditional Medicines in Modern Societies: Learning from East Asia,” Journal of Medicine & Philosophy, 28, no. 3 (2003) (forthcoming). The dual standard integration which I support may be similar to Holliday's “zone of balanced health care development.”Google Scholar
Unless otherwise stated, all the figures and other information in this section are from the public homepage of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, at <http://www.satcm.gov.cn/lanmu/zonghe_xinxi/tongji_zhaibian.htm> (last visited June 14, 2003). Unfortunately, most of the information offered there is in Chinese. The information I used in this article was translated into English by myself.+(last+visited+June+14,+2003).+Unfortunately,+most+of+the+information+offered+there+is+in+Chinese.+The+information+I+used+in+this+article+was+translated+into+English+by+myself.>Google Scholar
See the homepage of the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China, at <http://www.moh.gov.cn/statistics/digest01/ty1-1.htm> (last visited June 14, 2003). (last visited June 14, 2003).' href=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=See+the+homepage+of+the+Ministry+of+Health+of+the+People's+Republic+of+China,+at++(last+visited+June+14,+2003).>Google Scholar
My position in the rest of this section was formed primarily from my investigation of the traditional Chinese medical practice in Beijing and my hometown (in Inner Mongolia) in July 2002. Regarding recent discussions and debates about the manner of traditional Chinese medical practice and the direction of its development, readers can easily find a huge number of essays in the recent issues of relevant Chinese newspapers and journals, especially Zhongguo Yiyao Xuebao (Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy), Jiankang Bao (Health), Yixue yu Zhexue (Medicine and Philosophy), and Shanghai Yiyao Xuebao (Shanghai Journal of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy).Google Scholar
Many people still believe that the Yellow Emperor's Internal Medicine was compiled much earlier than the Eastern Han dynasty. Here I simply follow Yuqun Lao's well-grounded argument of fixing the time of its compilation in the Eastern Han dynasty. See his Qihuang Yidao (The Way of Chinese Medicine) (Taipei: Hongye Wenhua Shiye Youxiangongsi, 1993): At 55–80.Google Scholar
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The current debate still takes place around the issue of whether traditional Chinese medicine is science. Those supporting the existence and development of traditional Chinese medicine take pains to argue that it is science. Due to the value-laden character of the concept of science, no one dares to risk one's position by arguing that traditional Chinese medicine is not science, though it is effective.Google Scholar
See Liang, J., Zhongguo Gudai Yizheng Shilue (A Short History of the Chinese Medical System) (China: Inter Mongolia People's Press, 1995): At 172.Google Scholar
The information in this paragraph and the next is primarily from Zhao, H., Jindai Zhongxiyi Zhenglunshi (History of the Debate Between Traditional Chinese Medicine and Modern Scientific Medicine in the Modern Time) (Hefei: Anhui Science & Technology Press, 1989): At 86–91, 111–17, 122–31.Google Scholar
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For a very useful English introduction to traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, see Yanchi, L., The Essential Book of Traditional Chinese Medicine, vol. 2 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1998).Google Scholar
For a useful summary of such research projects and their outputs, see State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, ed., Jianguo 40nian Zhongyiyao Keji Chengjiu (The Scientific and Technological Achievements of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the First Forty Years of the People's Republic of China) (Beijing: Chinese Medical Classics Press, 1989): At 586–654.Google Scholar
For a very helpful English introduction to the channel system according to traditional Chinese medicine theory, see Yanchi, , supra note 16, at vol. 1, Chapter 4.Google Scholar
For an excellent book on such research projects and problems, see Chengzhong, L., Linchuang Jingluo Xianxiangxue (Clinical Channel Phenomenology), (Dalian: Dalian Press, 1994).Google Scholar
For all the figures and other information in this paragraph, see the homepage of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, under the entry of Zhongyiyao Wushinian Dashiji 1949–1999 (Significant Events of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1949–1999), at <http://www.satcm.gov.cn/lanmu/zonghe_xinxi/tongji_zhaibian.htm> (last visited June 14, 2003).+(last+visited+June+14,+2003).>Google Scholar
For these important views, see some well-known works of Thomas Kuhn and Paul Feyerabend. See, e.g., Kuhn, T., The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1970); Feyerabend, P., Against Method (London: Verso, 1978).Google Scholar
For a brilliant exploration of the role of randomized clinical trials in relation to complementary and alternative medicine, see Schaffner, K.F., “Assessments of Efficacy in Biomedicine: The Turn Toward Methodological Pluralism,” in Callahan, D., ed., The Role of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press, 2002): At 1–14.Google Scholar