Tongue acupuncture for depression effective
HealthCMI, 1 March 2014

Tongue acupuncture is effective for the treatment of depression. Researchers measured the synergistic effects of tongue acupuncture combined with traditional body style acupuncture, and concluded that tongue acupuncture is an effective application modality for the treatment of depression and demonstrated significantly reduced anxiety levels and improved heart rate scores. Electrocardiographic (ECG) biosignal recordings also confirmed improvements in heart rate variability.

Pancreatic cancer treated with ancient Chinese medicine in experiments
Scienceworldreport.com, 3 March 2014

The bark of the Amur cork tree is now thought to have the potential to fight pancreatic cancer. Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center discovered that its extract could be used to make inroads and fight pancreatic cancer. The herb previously showed potential in treating prostate cancer as well, which allowed the researchers to identify similarities between pathway development for tumors in prostate and pancreatic cancer.

Chinese herbal therapy debuts at Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals
Cleveland.com, 5 March 2014

In early 2013, the State Medical Board of Ohio began regulating the practice of Oriental medicine, which includes the practice of acupuncture and the use of herbal therapy. That paved the way for the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals to hire an acupuncturist who is also a certified herbal therapist. Then Chinese Herbal Therapy Clinic at the Cleveland Clinic started to operate, and so do herbal medicine consultations at University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center.

China revokes 68 drug business licenses
Xinhua, 5 March 2014

The China Food and Drug Administration had revoked licenses of 68 drug businesses in a crackdown on illegal drug-related production and operations since last July. Nearly 500 cases involving illegal or criminal practices were handed over to police authorities. The administration has ordered some 1000 drug producers and dealers to suspend business and has withdrawn over 250 GMP and GSP certificates.

Many treatments available for ‘invisible condition’ of endometriosis
Vancouver.24hrs.ca, 6 March 2014

Endometriosis affects approximately 176 million women worldwide, including more than 8.5 million in North America. Acupuncture causes the body to release endorphins, improve circulation and relax tight muscles, amongst other things to help relieve pain from endometriosis. Chinese herbs may be prescribed in combination to each individual case. Because there is often a lot of blood loss with each menstrual cycle, blood tonics are usually indicated.

Kangmei Pharmaceutical foray into drugstore trusteeship
En.ce.cn, 7 March 2014

The “drug and medicine separation” of China's New Medical Care Reform has again made hospital pharmacy trusteeship a hot issue. Large pharmaceutical distributors had quietly begun to fight for control of hospital pharmacies since last year. As policies like “zero price difference of medicine” and “canceling the practice of medicine subsidizing hospitals” are being implemented against the backdrop of the “separation of pharmacy and hospital”, the pharmacy is gradually changing from a revenue department into a cost department.

Herbs help dolphin overcome ulcerative stomatitis lesions
HealthCMI, 8 March 2014

Chinese Patent Medicine Industry Report 2013 - 2016
Digitaljournal.com, 10 March 2014

Supported by favorable policies, China’s Chinese patent medicine industry developed rapidly, with revenue soaring from RMB$215.4 billion to RMB$448.2 billion at a CAGR of 27.7% in 2010-2013. The medicines for vascular, tumors and respiratory diseases are the top three categories, respectively accounting for 37.2%, 15.4% and 11.1% market share in 2012-2013. There is a clear trend of convergence in injection that products in the top three categories made up above 50%.

Korean medicine looks toward Russia
Koreatimes.co.kr, 11 March 2014

The demand for Korean version of Oriental medicine has been on the rise in Russia, Slovakia and other Central Asian countries. President of Association of Korean Medicine (AKOM) said China is trying to export its traditional medicine to Russia, but the latter is reluctant to accept it due to a lack of creditability of Chinese licenses and the emotional rivalry between the two countries. Kim called on the government to take action to have the Korean license for traditional medicine doctors recognized in Russia so that they can formally enter the country of 140 million people.

Acupuncture & herbs effective for cerebral vasospasm
HealthCMI, 11 March 2014

A research demonstrates that combining acupuncture, herbal medicine and pharmaceutical medication together is significantly more effective than using only drugs for cerebral vasospasm. Researchers divided 60 patients into a control group and an acupuncture treatment group. Patients in the control group received conventional medication, the other group received the same medication plus acupuncture and a herbal formula. After 4 weeks, the treatment group was better than that of the control group and the difference was statistically significant.

Acupuncture & ginger moxibustion effective for tinnitus
HealthCMI, 18 March 2014

Acupuncture combined with ginger moxibustion has a curative effect on patients with intractable tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Patients with intractable tinnitus are primarily the elderly or middle-aged people and medications often do not work well. Researchers from a hospital in Hubei province treated 34 cases of intractable tinnitus using acupuncture and ginger moxibustion, and achieved an overall effective rate of 91.18%.

Traditional Chinese medicine providers are valuable resource for colorectal cancer screening information
Digitaljournal.com, 19 March 2014

TCM practitioners can serve as a valuable and culturally appropriate resource for promoting colorectal cancer screening in the Chinese immigrant community, according to a recent study. Researchers found that both providers and their participants were open to having providers communicate messages about biomedical approaches to health and colorectal cancer prevention, and already shared ideas on health and well-being that included Western as well as traditional approaches.

Government supports families with new health-related tax relief
Northumberlandview.ca, 18 March 2014

Changes to the tax treatment of the services and other GST/HST health-related measures announced in Economic Action Plan 2014 became effective on February 12, 2014. Health-related tax relief includes an exemption from the Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) on acupuncturists’ and naturopathic doctors’ professional services. This tax relief builds on the Harper Government’s record of keeping taxes low for Canadians and their families.

Certificated massage therapists help new mothers express milk
Womenofchina.cn, 20 March 2014

A domestic service association in east China issues qualification certificates for female massage therapists, in order to guide and regulate the city's healthcare industry. The therapists apply tuina on breasts and nipples to aid new mothers who have trouble expressing milk. The massage techniques can relieve symptoms like little or no breast milk in the first few days after delivery, absence of breast distension or engorgement, thin or watery breast milk, as well as some maternal sufferings like insomnia, pain and fatigue.

Time honored TCM store expands overseas
CRIENGLISH.com, 21 March 2014

Tong Ren Tang Pharmacies has opened a new store in Poland, making it the business's first operation in Europe. The store’s general manager said TCM has a relatively broader recognition in Europe, customers in countries such as Poland, Germany and Hungary believe TCM has less side-effect than Western medicine and can address the underlying causes of illness. The EU is the world's largest herbal medicine market, with annual sales in billions of euros. Its herbal market share accounts for 40% of the world's total.

Infertility to pregnancy with acupuncture & herbs
HealthCMI, 22 March 2014

A clinical study concludes that acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine have potent effects in reversing infertility. The patients have several types of infertility including those using IVF, IUI and those using no biomedical assistance, all showed significantly improved successful pregnancy rates. Most women conceived within the first 12 months of the clinical trial, the success rate may have been higher if all participants completed the full 2-year treatment regime.

Traditional Chinese medicine commonly prescribed for adults with asthma in Taiwan
Healio.com, 24 March 2014

The use of Chinese herbal products among adults with asthma appears high in Taiwan. Researchers analyzed the use of these products in a randomly assigned sample cohort of 1 million beneficiaries from the National Health Insurance Research Database, 85.7% of them used TCM. Ding-chuan-tang was the most frequently prescribed, followed by xiao-qing-long-tang and ma-xing-gan-shi-tang, the researchers wrote.

Chinese researchers discover poisonous plant remedies
Xinhua, 24 March 2014

Chinese scientists said that they have “tamed” wild poisonous plants on the Tibetan plateau, an achievement that can help protect livestock and prevent desertification. Researchers with Tibet's Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences have developed drugs against the effects of locoweed that produces swainsonine, a phytotoxin harmful to livestock. The remedies are prepared as liquid for oral administration and preventive pills that based on Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine respectively.

Tigers killed for ‘entertainment’
Iol.co.za, 27 March 2014

More than 10 tigers have been killed as “visual feasts” to entertain officials and rich businessmen in a China city, state media reported. Police in Guangdong seized a freshly slaughtered tiger and multiple tiger products in a raid. An experienced cattle or pig slaughterer is normally hired to butcher the carcass. Most buyers of the meat and bones were business owners who would then give them to officials as gifts.

Traditional Chinese medicine vanishing from its home market
Wantchinatimes.com, 27 March 2014

China Shineway Pharmaceutical Group has been forced to stop producing the extract of Chinese goldthread rhizome injections, because of surging costs. Group chairperson Li Zhenjiang said the retail price for the injection is 1.8 yuan (US$0.29) per unit, while the production costs are almost double that. The largest listed TCM company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange has had to shut down its Chinese goldthread injection factory in Chengdu due to losses.

GRU's new Confucius Institute offers an immersion into Chinese culture
Chronicle.augusta.com, 30 March 2014

The Georgia Regents University Confucius Institute was opened. GRU’s application for a Chinese learning (CI) was granted, making it the newest of about 400 worldwide CIs. GRU’s CI is the first to be affiliated with a comprehensive academic health center, and the first in the Western Hemisphere with a focus on traditional Chinese medicine. The CI will allow GRU to offer academic programs in Chinese language, arts and cultural studies.

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