The Chinese practice of medicine is well-known throughout the world. Based upon ancient beliefs, Chinese medicine views illness as an expression of the personal violation of a person's true nature and calls upon individuals to become aware of how this violation is occurring both internally and externally. The patient is encouraged to examine lifestyle, cognitive processes, emotional tendencies, habits and values in order to understand their dysfunction.
Traditional Chinese medicine is an integral part of Chinese culture, and has made great contributions to the prosperity of China. Today, both traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine are being used in providing medical and health services in China.
As globalization becomes an important element in recent economy, China emerges as a new power and focus in the world. Many aspects of China are gradually being given attention by the world.
In recent years, United States and China establish communications in medical exchange to educate both countries in the health field. In 2001, about 1200 American and Chinese doctors and related personnel met at MIT for a conference that is providing a rare comparative glimpse into the state of health care in the two countries.
American medicals are moving toward the Chinese framework and the Chinese are moving toward the other way as well. American medical professionals had valuable personal insights on the experience with traditional Chinese medicine and techniques, such as acupuncture and acupressure. Speakers at a press briefing the first day of the conference attempted to disabuse reporters of the mythological divide between medical communities in the two countries and the notion that Western medicine is always scientific.
Chinese traditional way of healing is developed and experimented over two thousands years. Just like in Western medicine, years ago some of the things we know today were not known. Acupuncture is effective for some diseases, even though the mechanisms are not so clear. For some diseases, the clinical results are very good.
The United States has a lot of strong points in its health care system. But China spends just one-third the medical cost of the United States to care for a population six times as large. As a developing country, a large percentage of China's population still lives in rural areas. Chinese look to the United States to see how it is providing health care in rural areas.
Drugs and herbs are a main difference between Western medicine and Chinese traditional medicine; however, nowadays, Chinese doctors are using more and more Western technologies and pharmaceuticals, which is good for the Chinese people in terms of convenience and alternative. On the other hand, Chinese are interested in exporting the herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, if the problems of standardization to meet FDA approval can be overcome, and if the Chinese can find a form of the herbs that will be palatable to Westerners accustomed to pills. For example, put the herbs in powder form, but it is in doubt that whether the herbs will still be effective. In any ways, such exchange of western medicine to China and Chinese herbs to the west can enhance both countries’ practice on the health field. Besides, the combination of both Chinese and Western medicines could give rise to a whole new way to health care. |