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Intelligence Empowering Traditional Medicine! Major Achievements of ITMCTR Smart Upgrade Released at the “Conference on Interdisciplinary Studies of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Intelligent Science”
On May 10, the “Conference on Interdisciplinary Studies of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Intelligent Science,” hosted by the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, was grandly held in Beijing. Centered on the theme “AI-Driven Innovation in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Digital Intelligence for Equitable Healthcare,” the conference focused on the integration and innovation between Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and artificial intelligence, injecting strong momentum into the intelligent and standardized development of TCM.
During the conference, a series of cutting-edge intelligent innovations were unveiled, covering areas such as evaluation standards for large TCM models, digital resources, and smart platforms. Among the highlights was the official release of the upgraded intelligent version of the “International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry (ITMCTR)”, positioning it as a key engine driving the global standardization and digital transformation of traditional medicine research.
ITMCTR Intelligent Upgrade: Reshaping the Clinical Trial Registration Model
Since its official launch in February 2023, ITMCTR, which was developed by the China Center for Evidence Based Traditional Chinese Medicine (CCEBTCM), has been recognized by the WHO as a primary registry. Dedicated to the global registration and review of traditional medicine clinical trial protocols, the platform’s latest intelligent upgrade marks a significant breakthrough in both technological application and operational efficiency.
Since its official launch in February 2023, ITMCTR, which was developed by the China Center for Evidence Based Traditional Chinese Medicine (CCEBTCM), has been recognized by the WHO as a primary registry. Dedicated to the global registration and review of traditional medicine clinical trial protocols, the platform’s latest intelligent upgrade marks a significant breakthrough in both technological application and operational efficiency.
Built upon a multimodal large language model framework, ITMCTR integrates natural language processing and image recognition modules to enable in-depth analysis of research documents and automated generation of standardized data fields. Through a dual-verification mechanism combining unstructured data extraction with an adaptive rule engine, the platform conducts intelligent comparison and compliance reviews between study protocols and ethics approvals, automatically producing structured review recommendations. This upgrade has improved review efficiency, allowing reviewers to focus on critical item verification.
Since July 2024, the platform’s monthly registrations have increased approximately sevenfold, with over 300 protocols processed monthly. In a single month, the system handled more than 32,000 data entries and reviewed over 1,000 documents. To date, ITMCTR has completed registrations for over 6,000 clinical trials, generated 560,000 standardized data fields, archived 16,800 research documents, and covered 25 ICD disease classification systems and dozens of traditional medicine interventions.
From foundational terminology to international standards, and from clinical registration to intelligent review, ITMCTR is rapidly advancing the smart and standardized development of traditional medicine research. The platform remains committed to building an open, collaborative, and innovative global research community—laying a solid foundation for the modernization of traditional medicine.
Since July 2024, the platform’s monthly registrations have increased approximately sevenfold, with over 300 protocols processed monthly. In a single month, the system handled more than 32,000 data entries and reviewed over 1,000 documents. To date, ITMCTR has completed registrations for over 6,000 clinical trials, generated 560,000 standardized data fields, archived 16,800 research documents, and covered 25 ICD disease classification systems and dozens of traditional medicine interventions.
From foundational terminology to international standards, and from clinical registration to intelligent review, ITMCTR is rapidly advancing the smart and standardized development of traditional medicine research. The platform remains committed to building an open, collaborative, and innovative global research community—laying a solid foundation for the modernization of traditional medicine.
Voice of Academician: Integrated Development is the Way Forward
Huang Luqi, President of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, emphasized that “TCM holds a vast body of knowledge and historical data, but due to its specialized language, it is difficult to deeply explore using conventional methods. With the aid of artificial intelligence, we can truly unlock the treasure trove of TCM and accelerate its modernization”.
The conference was more than just a convergence of technology and tradition, it offered a glimpse into the future of a holistic health ecosystem. With platforms like ITMCTR continuously evolving, the TCM community is building an innovative ecosystem characterized by “digital intelligence empowerment and interdisciplinary integration”. This is not only a national mission aligned with building a Healthy China and a science and technology powerhouse, but also a replicable Chinese solution for the global modernization of traditional medicine.
Huang Luqi, President of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, emphasized that “TCM holds a vast body of knowledge and historical data, but due to its specialized language, it is difficult to deeply explore using conventional methods. With the aid of artificial intelligence, we can truly unlock the treasure trove of TCM and accelerate its modernization”.
The conference was more than just a convergence of technology and tradition, it offered a glimpse into the future of a holistic health ecosystem. With platforms like ITMCTR continuously evolving, the TCM community is building an innovative ecosystem characterized by “digital intelligence empowerment and interdisciplinary integration”. This is not only a national mission aligned with building a Healthy China and a science and technology powerhouse, but also a replicable Chinese solution for the global modernization of traditional medicine.
Team Introduction
The TCM Standards and Evidence-Based Team is led by Prof Huang Luqi and is dedicated to key common technologies and empirical research within the full evidence chain of TCM. The team is responsible for the operation of ITMCTR, the Comprehensive Evaluation Evidence and Achievement Transformation Platform of TCM, and the Standards and Guidelines Information Service Platform of TCM. The team is based at China Center for Evidence Based Traditional Chinese Medicine, the world’s first evidence-based medicine center in the field of TCM. In collaboration with leading institutions in the field, the team conducts research on TCM evidence-based medicine, consensus on methodologies, standard development, clinical evaluation, evidence sample management, and evidence information services.
The TCM Standards and Evidence-Based Team is led by Prof Huang Luqi and is dedicated to key common technologies and empirical research within the full evidence chain of TCM. The team is responsible for the operation of ITMCTR, the Comprehensive Evaluation Evidence and Achievement Transformation Platform of TCM, and the Standards and Guidelines Information Service Platform of TCM. The team is based at China Center for Evidence Based Traditional Chinese Medicine, the world’s first evidence-based medicine center in the field of TCM. In collaboration with leading institutions in the field, the team conducts research on TCM evidence-based medicine, consensus on methodologies, standard development, clinical evaluation, evidence sample management, and evidence information services.
