Local clinic blends traditional, holistic medicine
The News Herald, 1 September 2014

At Gulf Coast Holistic and Primary Care, Dr. Skidmore offers her patients both eastern and western practices. Skidmore said oftentimes patients are misdiagnosed, deemed incurable or diagnosed as unknown. “There’s got to be something, if I’m the patient and I’m told it’s unknown, that’s not enough for me.” She added a lot of people were seeking treatment for one thing and they’d end up worse because of the medication.

‘Viagra’ made from seahorses seized in Elephant and Castle
London24.com, 2 September 2014

A Chinese medicine trader has been fined for selling sexual enhancement pills made with seahorse extracts in Elephant and Castle. A keen-eyed detective was on her way to work when she spotted the pills for sale on a stall. The trader pleaded guilty to five counts of purchasing/offering to purchase/sell/keep for sale species protected under CITES. She was sentenced to £200 fine for each product, £85 prosecution costs and £100 victim surcharge, a total of £1,185.

Ear acupuncture might ease constipation
Asian Scientist, 3 September 2014

An article published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine shows that acupuncture could help ease chronic constipation. Researchers in China analyzed 17 published clinical studies and concluded that auriculotherapy, a form of acupuncture that involves stimulating targeted points on the outer ear, was “probably beneficial” in managing the symptoms of constipation, but the results could not be extrapolated to other populations due to cultural and geographic differences.

Traditional Chinese medicine for chronic fatigue syndrome
Prohealth.com, 3 September 2014

TCM is widely used to treat chronic fatigue syndrome in China. The types of TCM interventions include Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, qigong, moxibustion, and acupoint application. The results of meta-analyses and several individual studies showed that TCM alone or in combination with other interventions significantly alleviated fatigue symptoms as measured by Chalder's fatigue scale, fatigue severity scale, fatigue assessment instrument by Joseph E. Schwartz, and Bell's fatigue scale.

Quack doctor stands trial for student's death
English.news.cn, 3 September 2014

A quack doctor and ex-convict stood trial with three others in China for the death of a college student. The student surnamed Yun, a devotee of TCM, died after taking a substance provided by the offender, and autopsy showed Yun had consumed Glauber's salt, hydrated sodium sulfate used in paper and glass manufacture and a cathartic and diuretic. The offender had been sentenced 15 years in prison in 2001 for practising medicine without a license, but was released in 2011 after a term reduction.

Acupuncture and herbal medicine has been found to be effective in treating menopause of various stages
News.therawfoodworld.com, 3 September 2014

TCM helps women going through menopause through diet, acupuncture, and herbs. Studies show that a diet rich in phytoestrogens can reduce the adverse symptoms associated with menopause, and has been found to be the most effective level of treatment when combined with herbs and acupuncture. TCM can also help treat women who develop menopause like symptoms such as irregular menstruation, black spots on face, and acne after stopping birth control pills.

China's pharmaceutical company launches operations in U.S.
Xinhua, 4 September 2014

Tasly Holding Group launched its North American operations in the state of Maryland to further expand its business of TCM overseas. Xijun Yan, chairman of Tasly, said their products and services cover biopharmaceutical drugs, healthcare products, medical rehabilitation and health management, with a total revenue of 4 billion U.S. dollars in 2013. Its Fufang Danshen dripping pill, a multi-herb-based treatment for stable angina pectoris is now in a phase three clinical trial in the U.S. and several other countries.

Seminar on Research and Development of Chinese Medicines 2014 concludes successfully
7thSpace Interactive, 5 September 2014

Hong Kong (HKSAR) - The Seminar on Research and Development of Chinese Medicines 2014 held by the Committee on Research and Development of Chinese Medicines concluded successfully. Co-organized by the Department of Health, the Hospital Authority (HA) and the Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification, the two-day seminar was held at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. More than 20 guest speakers and over 500 representatives attended.

Acupuncture on GB34 activates the precentral gyrus and prefrontal cortex in Parkinson's disease
7thSpace Interactive, 15 September 2014

In a study, brain activation in a group of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients was compared with a group of healthy participants, by acupuncture stimulating on the right GB 34 (yang ling quan). The resulting activities in the prefrontal cortex, precentral gyrus, and putamen in PD patients are significantly higher and were especially visible in the left side, in comparing with healthy participants. It was concluded that the brain areas should be treated for PD symptoms and GB 34 seems to be a suitable acupoint.

Acupuncture for chronic pelvic inflammatory disease: a qualitative study of patients' insistence on treatment
7thSpace Interactive, 21 September 2014

A study results concluded that patients diagnosed with chronic PID had mixed reasons for maintaining acupuncture treatments. Participants reported feeling hope, confidence, and a sense of responsibility for their treatment during the process, although the treatments did not always have the expected outcome. Knowledge and understanding about the acupuncture-disease relationship were conducive. Acupuncture as a complement should be further developed while maintaining these positive features.

What you need to know about PCOS and Chinese medicine
Theepochtimes.com, 21 September 2014

Chinese Medicine is an effective treatment for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), which can help regulate menstrual cycle and alleviate many of the unpleasant symptoms. TCM is also good for improving fertility if PCOS makes getting pregnant difficult. Treatment plans are unique to the patient, and it usually takes 3 to 6 months of regular treatment to obtain optimal results. Once your period becomes more regular, the patient should continue with herbs and get acupuncture once monthly to maintain her cycle, especially if she is trying to conceive.

China finds irregularities in TCM products
Xinhua, 23 September 2014

China's drug watchdog has found 12% of TCM materials and tablets in a random sample check to be substandard. Irregularities including artificial coloring, weight-increasing practices and contamination by counterfeit or substandard ingredients were found in 93 out of 772 batches of TCM materials and tablets. The products were randomly collected from TCM manufacturers, sellers and users across the country, and said that the relevant companies will be punished by local drug administrations.

UF researcher to study if acupuncture could help cancer patients
News4jax.com, 28 September 2014

A professor of University of Florida College will examine how acupuncture might help curb weight loss in cancer patients with a wasting syndrome. Saun-Joo Yoon, an associate professor of nursing, has received a UF Research Opportunity Seed Fund award for 2014∼2016 to conduct the study. Yoon and her research team will receive $84,000 over two years. UF distributes approximately 15-18 Research Opportunity Seed Fund awards each year, which range from $65,000 to $85,000.

Oriental doctors banned from using 'modern' device
Koreatimes.co.kr, 28 September 2014

An Oriental doctor was fined $380 by the Court for using an intense pulsed light (IPL) machine, which is used to perform skin treatments such as hair removal. According to the Korean medical laws, doctors, dentists, nurses and Oriental doctors are all classified as “health care providers,” and they are only allowed to provide medical services they are trained for. The problem is that Oriental medicine doctors are not usually trained in specific tasks, and the laws do not clearly spell out what they can and cannot do. Courts have to make a decision on a case-by-case basis.

Eu Yan Sang defends lead poisoning risk accusation
Straitstimes.com, 30 September 2014

Bo Ying Compound produced by Eu Yan Sang was featured in an FDA alert which warned consumers of its lead poisoning risk. The group CEO told all authorized products have lead content levels “well below” the limits of the countries they are distributed in. The compound in the FDA alert was a Hong Kong version of the product which has never been authorized for export, as different countries have varying requirements for food products. Lead level limits in Hong Kong are more than 10 times higher than in the US and the product in question is deemed perfectly safe for consumption there.

Acupuncture may not help chronic knee pain
Webmd.com, 30 September 2014

Acupuncture doesn't improve knee pain any more than sham acupuncture, according to a study. Almost 300 adults with chronic knee pain received either needle acupuncture, laser acupuncture, sham laser acupuncture, or no treatment at all. Among patients older than 50 years with moderate to severe chronic knee pain, neither laser nor needle acupuncture conferred benefit over sham for pain or function the authors wrote, funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council in Australia.

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