Karate kids practice moves at official launch of Mandarin and Chinese studies at Highgate primary school
hamhigh.co.uk , 1 December 2013

A primary school has launched the study of Mandarin and Chinese cultural studies. Highgate Primary School brought in the subjects in the hope that its pupils will go on to be fluent in Mandarin one day. Representatives from the Confucius Institute for TCM visited the school. Dancers in traditional dress and tai chi masters performed, and pupils also try martial arts and treated to a banquet of Chinese food. Head-teacher introduced the subjects because of “the increasing importance of Mandarin in the world in which we live”.

University offers free online courses in Shanghai
China Daily , 3 December 2013

Two courses with leading professors of Shanghai Jiao Tong University are available at the online free courses platform Coursera. The two courses were The Journey of Mathematics, and Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Culture. For the TCM course, people can master the basic concepts, knowledge and thoughts on TCM and also become familiar with its inherent Chinese culture. These courses are taught in Mandarin, with English subtitles. The University said it is planning to develop more online courses.

Wong Lo Kat Herbal Tea Museum officially completed
menafn.com , 4 December 2013

Wong Lo Kat herbal tea museum, located at Shennong Caotang TCM Museum of Hutchison Whampoa Guangzhou Baiyunshan Chinese Medicine Company Limited (HGB), was officially completed. The museum has displayed the origin, inheritance and development of China's herbal tea and the 185-year history of Wong Lo Kat to become an important carrier to showcase and carry forward China's herbal tea culture and an important platform to carry out international herbal tea culture exchanges.

Worlds apart: health care and pharmacy in China
pharmacytimes.com , 4 December 2013

The main advantages of TCM in China are the ease of offering it in outpatient settings over short periods of time, its low cost, and the deep experience local health care providers have in practicing it. These factors increase patients’ access to treatment in a country with relatively low income levels. TCM needs to be studied further on a clinical and molecular basis to assess its safety and effectiveness. The lack of any unbiased record keeping proving the effectiveness and tracking any possible adverse effects of TCM is a major shortcoming. There are no metrics of disease process improvement as a result of treatment with TCM, whether subjective, clinical, or investigational.

New MRI study - acupuncture reduces diarrhea
healthcmi.com , 6 December 2013

A MRI study demonstrates that acupuncture controls and reduces functional diarrhea and has mapped the brain centers involved in the clinical successes. A special acupuncture point helps to regulate brain signals. A group of functional diarrhea (FD) patients were compared with a control group. MRI imaging revealed that acupuncture changed modulation of the sensory, cognition and motor pathways, which correlated with a reduction of defecation frequency.

China makes key progress in Tibetan medicine study
english.eastday.com , 8 December 2013

Chinese scientists said great progress has been made in quality control technologies and standardization of traditional Tibetan medicine after 20 years of research. A total of 264 criteria for Tibetan medicine processing have been completed since the program was launched in 1993. The Xining-based institute is the research project's major undertaker. Over the past three years, the results have been applied in eight Tibetan medicine companies, helping them driven sales revenue of RMB$ 1.1 billion.

Acupuncture heals neck disc pain
healthcmi.com , 8 December 2013

Acupuncture is more effective than medications for the treatment of cervical intervertebral disc herniations (CIDH). A randomized, controlled study of 420 patients with CIDH consisted of two comparative groups. The results demonstrated that electroacupuncture “has better therapeutic efficacy than the medication group.” The researchers concluded that electroacupuncture “is better than medication in comparing both short-term and long-term therapeutic efficacies in treating CIDH.”

3-day intl conference on traditional & alternative medicine begins in Hyderabad
pharmabiz.com , 10 December 2013

The Omics Group is organizing “International Conference and Exhibition on Traditional & Alternative Medicine” (Traditional Medicine-2013) in Hyderabad. The theme is “Traditional and Alternative Medicine Development and Promotion”. Issues to be discussed include challenges, opportunities in herbal medicines, trends, inventions, research and development in Traditional Medicine. The meet will also address issues related to herbal medicines, and a Panel Discussion on “Are alternative medicines overly regulated?: Controversies and Global implications.”

Chinese elementary school begins an 'anti-smog martial arts' program
scmp.com , 13 December 2013

An elementary school in Hebei has instituted a program of “anti-smog martial arts”. A set of 23 body movements was created by Wei Huanqiang, deputy director of Shijiazhuang City Elementary. He said that the martial arts regimen was necessary after the city’s board of education required schools to cancel all outdoor sports activities. Schools and companies have to deal with crippling air pollution by suspending outdoor activities and allowing employees to work from home, the Shijiazhuang City Elementary’s martial arts program is the first of its kind.

Hong Kong urgently needs a hospital to teach Traditional Chinese Medicine
scmp.com, 16 December , 2013

Chinese medicine clinics are everywhere in Hong Kong, the local universities have emerged as a source of talent for the traditional field, producing about 70 graduates a year. These graduates end up working in clinics, and are denied a chance for key practice due to the lack of a teaching hospital. Baptist University has made the strongest call for a Chinese medicine teaching hospital. Alfred Leung Wing-nang, the director of Chinese University's School of Chinese Medicine, says the government should take the lead in building a teaching hospital for all three universities.

40 tons of diseased turtle bones flow into TCM market
ecns.cn, 17 December , 2013

Forty tons of bones from diseased dead turtles have flowed into traditional medicine markets in China. Police departments in Jiaxing launched a crackdown on infected dead turtles being sold in markets. Sixteen suspects were captured and eight tons of diseased turtle bones were seized. For more than six years, they have introduced over 40 tons of such bones into the markets. Regulations in China prohibit the use of poisoned or disease-ridden animals to make TCM, but selling bones from infected dead turtles has already become a hidden practice in the industry.

New health law may allow traditional Chinese doctors to practice in Hungary
English.news.cn, 18 December , 2013

Hungary's parliament amended the Health Act, opening the way for the Ministry of Human Resources to issue a decree that would allow doctors of TCM to obtain permits to practice. TCM Practitioners who have certificates from schools requiring at least five years of university-level study and who can prove that they have not been banned from practicing at home or in the last country where they worked will be able to apply. The new law authorizes the Scientific Council on Health to issue the permits.

Seasonal eating for your health in the winter
FoxNews.com , 18 December 2013

Many ancient and holistic medical traditions, such as TCM, view seasonal eating as the cornerstone to good health, both physically and emotionally. Foods from particular seasons can help the body meet season-specific challenges. Getting the most nourishment can come from eating what’s in season wherever you are. December is the perfect time to reduce, or eliminate cooling fruits and smoothies, and instead, opt for traditional warming soups, and more protein, cooked foods, and adding warming spices to your meals.

B.C. launches traditional Chinese medicine school
The Province , 20 December 2013

Advanced Education Minister Amrik Virk announced the appointment of Burnaby North MLA Richard Lee as the Parliamentary Secretary for TCM. Lee will be part of an advisory committee that will be created to research how to start a program in the province, the first such public school for TCM in Western Canada. There aren’t any plans to include TCM in MSP, though the government currently pays up to $23 per acupuncture visit for those under premium assistance in the province.

SE Asia's traditional medicine makers promise panacea
The Himalayan Times , 20 December 2013

Global pharmaceutical companies from Pfizer Inc to Roche Holding AG have long pinpointed Asia as a source of future growth as incomes rise. The traditional medicine market of Southeast Asia is also coiled to leap as an increasingly health-conscious middle class rises in the region. Stacked with products that claim to cure anything from rheumatism to sexual dysfunction, the market for traditional medicine in Southeast Asia is projected to grow to $3.9 billion by 2017, nearly 50% more than this year.

Results of Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards (Phase VI) announced
info.gov.hk , 20 December 2013

The Department of Health published reference standards on safety and quality for 60 commonly used Chinese Materia Medica (CMM) in Phase VI of the Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards (HKCMMS). HKCMMS Volume VI, sets out the names, sources and descriptions as well as methods of identification, tests and assays. The standards will be put into use for a trial period of 12 months, starting from April 2014, upon completion of all briefing sessions for traders and laboratories.

Chinese doctors to face punishment for taking kickbacks
Xinhua , 27 December 2013

The National Health and Family Planning Commission and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine has just published a directive to ban medical professionals from engaging in commercial activities, medicine promotion and taking commissions from the prescriptions. Doctors are not allowed to accept illegal donations, nor are they allowed to purchase or use medical products without permission. The move to promote a clean practice among doctors came as part of a more comprehensive campaign against corruption launched by the Communist Party of China at the end of 2012.

China becomes main supplier of herbal medicine to Japan, S Korea
wantchinatimes.com , 30 December 2013

While China is facing obstacles in the TCM market at home and abroad, countries including Japan, South Korea and the United States are importing considerable amounts of raw herbal ingredients and using them to manufacture Chinese patent medicines to earn sizeable profits. Suppliers in South Korea, Japan and the United States have cornered 90% of the international Chinese patent medicine market. These countries are buying raw materials from China and processing them into tablets or capsules.

Compiled By:
Rose Tse, Integrated Chinese Medicine Holdings Ltd.