Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Interlude from Guangzhou - Book Deal in Beijing




During my recent visit to Guangzhou, I took a couple of days to meet with the team at People’s Medical Publishing House. The flight was only a few hours, and I took a cab to the multi-story facility in downtown Beijing.


My project, a book on pulse diagnosis, focuses upon the works of one of China’s great compilers, a man named Li Zhishen. Author of one of the great herbal compendiums, Li has also published two works on pulse diagnosis, one is the Lakeside Master and the other is the Mysteries of the Extraordinary Vessels.


In order to realize a quality work, the team involves two authors, two editor/project managers and two translators. The individuals involved are: Walter Liu (Líu Shuĭ, 刘水), Vice-Director of International Publications Department and head of Department of Clinical Chinese Medicine and Integrative Medicine; Harry F. Lardner, Department of Clinical Chinese Medicine and Integrative Medicine; Amber Huang (Huáng Lĕi黄蕾), Department of Acupuncture and Tui Na; Mark Mondot, Department of Patient Education. 


This "golden bridge" of international collaboration in the development of Chinese medical knowledge is significant news for the profession. Each section of the team involves an American and a Chinese person. This type of collaboration allows for a rich representation and accurately portrays the source material while maintaining sensitivity to the needs of the user.


Pulse diagnosis is my area of academic specialty. I have spent 28 years on the topic. My latest efforts are in an area that I call medical epistemology – that is – how we build knowledge in medicine. Pulse diagnosis is an area of practice that is often dismissed as subjective. It is. And that is the advantage. We, in this world of high tech and looming global chaos need a personal touch. Pulse diagnosis provides a direct and immediate non-verbal contact between the physician and the patient.


People’s Medical Publishing House is the largest and most influential book maker in China. I felt privileged to participate with the group on a project that fit exactly with my values with respect to translation and the building of knowledge across the cultural and language bounds. I had an opportunity to see the galleys for Understanding the Jin Gui Yao Lue - A Practical Textbook. This is one of the most important historical texts in Chinese medicine, one that is still used in core curriculum for Chinese medicine programs at the major universities in China. The core text of the Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet (Jīn Guì Yào Lüè) has been praised by Chinese physicians as "the book that saves lives" and "the ancestor of all formula books".


I believe that PMPH is doing very important work and it is a privilege to participate with them on the development of Chinese medicine in the West.

Friday, November 13, 2009

International Conference on Traditional Medicine November 9-1, 2009 in Guangzhou,China


I went to Guangzhou, a southern coastal city which is the 3rd largest in China, population, 10 million as of the 2007 censusThe purpose – to present a paper called Strategies for Globalizing Chinese Medical Research: Standards, Cost of Care Studies and Ethics.


90 countries were promoting the inheritance, development and internationalization of Traditional Chinese Medicine. There was a call for Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) as the sign post of what would make Chinese medicine acceptable in the world.


Those of you who know me, know that I take some exceptions to rote EBM as a path for creating acceptance of acupuncture and Chinese medicine on global platform. I am also happy to use EBM to make a point. More on this later.






The conference was sponsored by all levels of Chinese government:


Ministry of Science and Technology, P.R.China
Ministry of Health, P.R.China
State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, P.R.China
State Food and Drug Administration
Ministry of Education, P.R.China
State Ethnic Affairs Commission, P.R.China
Ministry of Agriculture, P.R.China
Ministry of Culture, P.R.China
General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, P.R.China
State Forestry Administration, P.R.China
State Intellectual Property Office, P.R.China
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chinese Academy of Engineering
National Natural Science Foundation of China
People’s Government of Guangdong Province


The WHO co-sponsored the event.


It was the People’s Government of Guangdong Province (Guangdong Science and Technology Department) who did the heavy lifting for the conference organization.


Mr. Wan Gang, Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology gave a presentation called:  Promoting the Modernization and Internationalization of TCM for the Benefit of Society.


  1. Development of TM is practical and significant. The financial tsunami the integration of different civilizations and issues around the economic gap place the global ecological concerns. Medical care H1-N1 AIDS and SARS are part of the return to traditional medicine which connected with the people’s need to get back to nature. The goal is a harmonious and globalized point of view.
  2. Specific features of traditional medicine. Early practices use of senses to evaluate the disease process. For example pulse diagnosis, observation, inquiry. This approach point of view is holistic dynamic and personalized. Because it is a treatment in light of the person the time and place. This brings advantages beyond the substantial contributions of genetics and epigenetics. As time goes on, these practices can be difficult to accept by people trained in the contemporary societies and scientific world view. This makes traditional practices difficult to evaluate using the contemporary scientific method. We need to seek a development path for TCM
  3. Strategic consideration for TM. It is a valuable asset that has taken centuries to develop. We need to promote the medicine along with science and technology in order to further internationalization. Medicine does not only aim at curing disease, we must also be involved in the following
    1. Improve prevention and treatment
    2. The healthcare and diagnostic systems
    3. Technology
    4. Enrich the theoretical system
    5. Set up international standards and norms
    6. Develop unique technology
    7. Network for international science and technology
The Deputy Minster of Health Wang Guangzhou said that we must Seize the Opportunity for Government Collaboration and Development. He said that TM is an important inheritance for human civilization. TM has enriched and made great contributions to the health and prosperity of humanity for millennia.


More to come on the conference and the research presentations in my track which was on acupuncture research. Hint - there was some very cool studies using 24 hour blood pressure monitors.


Warmly,


Will

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Developments in the Field of Acupuncture

Trends  
In 2007, adults in the United States spent $33.9 billion out-of-pocket on visits to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners and purchases of CAM products, classes, and materials for self-care. Nearly one-third of this out-of-pocket spending was to pay for CAM practitioner costs (see figure below.) Further, according to this government survey, the number of visits to acupuncturists rose 32% between 2002 and 2007. Also, nearly 12% of the out-of-pocket money was specifically spent on yoga, Tai chi and Qi gong for self-care (see figure below). Link to the press release: http://nccam.nih.gov/news/2009/073009.htm National Health Statistics Reports (NHSR), (Number 18, July 30, 2009) as well as the earlier, NHSR (Number 12, December 10, 2008).

Legislative Efforts
The AAAOM is strengthening its new alliance with the National Foundation of Women Legislators (NFWL), which represents America’s 2146 elected women legislators. These women either chair or constitute a majority on the health committees of all 50 state legislatures. There are now 17 women U.S. Senators and 73 Congresswomen in the U.S. House of Representatives. The group made this resolution at their annual meeting in New Mexico over Labor Day weekend:

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the National Foundation for Women Legislators Healthcare & Empowerment Policy Committee, that Congress should ensure that licensed acupuncture practitioners are included as providers in all government insurance programs and health delivery programs;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the National Foundation for Women Legislators Healthcare & Empowerment Policy Committee, that all 50 states governments, territories, and tribal communities are urged to license the practice of acupuncture and Oriental herbal medicine or improve their licensure guidelines to encourage a broader scope of practice.

The connection between the AAAOM and the NFWL, was facilitated by Washington, D.C. lobbyists Sam Brunelli and Beth Clay. With their help the AAAOM has increased Congressional sponsorship of the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act (HR 646) from 15 to 29 Representatives. Sam and Beth have received over 30,000 letters from patients in support of HR 646 to deliver to members of Congress and the Senate.