Alternative Medicine

Traditional Medicine in Asia

“natural” and has stood st ood the test of history, minimal in the hands of a well-trained it is often automatically automatically perceived as being practitioner. 16 Reports show that one of  harmless. It is true that Chinese medithe more common problems of  cations in general are less toxic and safer  acupuncture is forgotten needles. 17 Lifeas compared to synthetic drugs or other  threatening adverse reactions are possible forms of therapy, therap y, but they are by no means with acupuncture treatment; 18, 19, 20 free from adverse effects. however, these are usually caused by The question of the toxic potentials of  practitioner practitioners s who have not received any or  herbs has long been recognized in Chinese adequate training. Qualification in medical pharmacopoeia, and relevant theories practice is important. There should be no have been developed to avoid harmful uses exception in the case of Chinese medicine. m edicine. or combinations of potentially toxic herbs, such as the theories of “Eighteen Prospects for TCM Incompatibilities”, “Nineteen Antagonism” Antagonism” and “Contraindication during pregnancy”, TCM is, by definition, traditional, but this “Pao Zhi ” (herbal process). These theories in no way prevents it from evolving. Great continue to guide the Chinese pharmaprogress has been made since the past copoeia to this thi s day. decade in efforts to understand the Quality assurance procedures must be mechanisms of TCM, especially the strictly enforced in order to standardize physiological effects of acupuncture. In the herbal medicine. Chemical tests and assay meantime, efforts to combine TCM with procedures must be used to supplement biomedicine in China have also accumuthe traditional standards of the Chinese lated a great amount of experience and pharmacopoeia. data. More concerted efforts are needed Concerns have also been expressed relating to theoretical studies which may regarding the safety of acupuncture. The elucidate the fundamentals of TCM through risks associated with acupuncture have acquired knowledge in Western medicine. been shown to be very small compared to  Another  Another chall challenge enge lies in how to clinic clinically ally 15 orthodox interventions. In November  combine TCM and Western medicine more 1997, an Acupuncture Consensus effectively which may eventually contribute Statement made by the National Institute to the organic integration of these two schools of medicine. of Health in the United States mentioned: “One of the advantages of acupuncture is One frequent criticism regarding that the incidence of adverse effects is researches in TCM is the quality of such substantially lower than that of many drugs research. Improving the methodology or other accepted procedures for the same and devising an approach for the specific 16 conditions. ” In general, side- effects from use of researches on TCM may be a acupuncture procedure itself have been worthwhile task.

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