In a strategic move to assert the value and historical significance of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), China’s Ministry of Health, in conjunction with 15 other government departments, has issued the “Traditional Chinese Medicine Innovation & Development Guidelines from 2006 to 2020” in March. These comprehensive guidelines are seen as a direct rebuttal to the controversial articles penned by Professor Zhang Gongrao of Central South University, which advocated for the abolition of TCM on the grounds of its perceived lack of efficacy.
Professor Zhang’s articles, “Traditional Chinese Medicine Should Be Abolished” and “Traditional Chinese Medicine Is Useless,” published in 2006, sparked widespread debate and led to a petition with over 10,000 signatures demanding the abolition of TCM. In response, the “Guidelines” provide a robust defense of TCM’s millennia-long history and its integral role in Chinese culture, while also acknowledging its effectiveness in treating certain diseases.
The document outlines a roadmap for the development and modernization of the TCM industry over the next 15 years. It underscores the Chinese government’s commitment to enacting policies that will foster and encourage innovation and growth within the TCM sector.
