Universities pool resources to integrate Western medicine and TCM

Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine signed an agreement over the weekend to establish a research institute to promote the integration of Chinese and Western medicine.

Cao Xikang, Party secretary of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said the institute will focus on major clinical problems and develop treatments with traditional Chinese medicine. It will try to explain the treatments with modern medicine theoretical methods. 

He said the two parties have set up a foundation to hire each other’s doctoral supervisors to enhance communication and cooperation with the aim of making new achievements and cultivating innovative talent.

Chen Zhu, chairman of the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party and former Minister of Health, congratulated participants on the establishment of the new institute in a video speech. 

He said promoting traditional Chinese and Western medicines and their coordinated development will benefit China’s health service system. It has been proved effective.

“Chinese leaders have all attached great importance to the integration of Chinese and Western medicines,” said Chen. “Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, traditional Chinese medicine has been helping improve patients’ immunity and stimulated their own ability to resist the disease and recover, making great contributions to the control of the crisis."

President Xi Jinping said in a meeting with medical scholars that the combination of Chinese and Western medicines is an obvious feature in the treatment of COVID-19 in China. 

He urged enhanced work in the study of traditional medicine, promotion of its use in the health service system and cultivation of related talent.

“I wish the new institute will serve the need of the nation’s development strategy, focus on the frontiers of scientific research and promote innovation in traditional Chinese medicine, its integration with Western medicine and the development of a new discipline combining the two systems," Chen said.

"I also wish Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine can take this cooperation as an opportunity to jointly promote high-quality development in medical education, medical services, public health and life science and benefit the well being of all humans.”