Zhang Zhongde: Using modern scientific and technological achievements to "make up for the shortcomings" in the development of traditional Chinese medicine

[Editor's Note] "We must develop traditional Chinese medicine, focus on using modern science to interpret the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, and take the path of combining Chinese and Western medicine." On May 12, General Secretary Xi Jinping once again mentioned traditional Chinese medicine during his inspection in Nanyang City, Henan Province, and put forward new and clear requirements for its further development.

Only by inheriting the essence can the development of traditional Chinese medicine last long; only by adhering to the truth and innovating can the development of traditional Chinese medicine be clear and exciting. Combining the outstanding performance and experience of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, many traditional Chinese medicine experts who have participated in the front-line anti-epidemic efforts talked about their experiences and made suggestions for the high-quality development of traditional Chinese medicine and the protection of the health of all mankind.

Zhang Zhongde, Vice President of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine and Vice President of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Photo provided by the interviewee

"Traditional Chinese medicine is the most brilliant part of the treasure house of Chinese civilization and a major starting point and embodiment of China's cultural confidence. TCM practitioners must first inherit the essence of cultural treasures, popularize TCM cultural knowledge to the Chinese people, and let the people have a more systematic understanding of TCM in their daily lives and in disease prevention and treatment." Speaking of the treatment of this epidemic, Zhang Zhongde, vice president of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine and vice president of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, believes that over the past century, despite the rapid development of world science and technology civilization, the summary and inheritance of TCM is almost broken. At present, all the achievements of modern civilization and science and technology should be used to "make up lessons" for the development of TCM, develop it on the basis of the inherent theoretical system of TCM, and spread it in the language system of modern people.

Zhang Zhongde (left) is diagnosing a COVID-19 patient. Photo provided by the interviewee

Traditional Chinese medicine fights the epidemic from "participant" to "main force"

"In the initial stage of epidemic treatment, grassroots doctors began to use Chinese medicine for tentative treatment when traditional Chinese medicine did not understand the cause and pathogenesis of the disease. The first task of our expert team in Wuhan was to find the core pathogenesis of this disease." As a member of the first batch of national medical team experts in Wuhan, Hubei, and captain of the second national traditional Chinese medicine medical team to aid Hubei, Zhang Zhongde told reporters about his experience at that time.

"Just like Western medicine in finding the source of the disease, traditional Chinese medicine also has to go through a process from zero participation to the beginning of standardized use, and then to large-scale popularization and comprehensive promotion. From the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine to the later relief of the main symptoms of patients with mild, common and severe cases, the patients' personal experience and the recognition of their peers have strengthened our confidence in traditional Chinese medicine in treating new coronary pneumonia, and it reflects the laws of traditional Chinese medicine from exploration, maturity, promotion to standardization in the process of responding to sudden and emerging infectious diseases." Zhang Zhongde said.

On February 1, 2020, medical team members from Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine taught patients to practice the Chinese medicine health-preserving exercise Ba Duan Jin in the isolation ward of Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. Xinhua News Agency (Photo provided by the medical team from Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine to Hubei)

The integration of Chinese and Western medicine is of great significance to major diseases, common diseases and frequently occurring diseases

"In the treatment of severe and critical patients, Chinese and Western medicine worked together and played their advantages together to achieve the effect of 1+1>2. Especially in the epidemics in Hebei and Yunnan, the advantages of combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine were fully utilized in the treatment of severe and critical patients." Zhang Zhongde, who also participated in the rescue and treatment in the two places, said.

Zhang Zhongde believes that the combination of Chinese and Western medicine can also play a good role in treating other major diseases, critical diseases, common diseases and frequently occurring diseases, not just COVID-19.

"For example, for hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, heart transplantation, kidney transplantation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc., the use of a combination of Chinese and Western medicine treatments at different stages of the disease can greatly shorten the patient's illness course, reduce the severity of the disease, and thus improve the patient's quality of life." He said.

To this end, Zhang Zhongde called for the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine to create a unique medical and health solution for China.

On February 15, 2020, at Beijing Ditan Hospital, a pharmacist prepared medicine for a COVID-19 patient in the Chinese medicine pharmacy. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ju Huanzong

The development of traditional Chinese medicine must be combined with modern scientific and technological achievements

"Without all-round confidence in traditional Chinese medicine, it will be very difficult to develop." Zhang Zhongde said that the strategic value of traditional Chinese medicine in fighting the epidemic lies in allowing ordinary people, who previously had doubts about traditional Chinese medicine, to see and touch the real efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine. This is a great encouragement to them and also lays a very good foundation for the future development of traditional Chinese medicine. Through this epidemic, from the perspective of clinical efficacy, the confidence of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners has been strengthened, their momentum has been boosted, and the whole society can look forward to the development prospects of traditional Chinese medicine.

"However, TCM must use modern medicine and modern scientific and technological achievements to serve itself, and not tie its own hands and feet and stick to the old ways." Zhang Zhongde pointed out that modern medical technologies such as B-ultrasound, CT, gastroscopy and colonoscopy can be regarded as an extension of TCM's "visual diagnosis". The development of TCM must be combined with modern scientific and technological achievements and described and communicated in modern language.