Forum for Research and Evidence in Traditional Medicine of 2024 World Conference on Traditional Medicine was Successfully Held

On December 4, 2024, Forum for Research and Evidence in Traditional Medicine of 2024 World Conference on Traditional Medicine, hosted by World Health Organization (WHO) International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry, China Center for Evidence Based Traditional Chinese Medicine (CCEBTCM) and China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, was held at Beijing, China National Convention Center.

The theme of this forum is “Research and Evidence in Traditional Medicine”, and it has set up multiple agendas such as release activities, special reports, keynote speeches, exchanges and dialogues. Dr Kim Sungchol, Head of Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine Unit, Integrated Health Services, WHO, Prof Huang Luqi, Vice-Commissioner of National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM), Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, President of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, and Dr Yan Huaguo, Vice Director-general of the Medical Administration Department of NATCM, were invited to come and provide guidance. More than 170 academic experts, scholars, and corporate representatives from home and abroad participated. The forum was opened and hosted by Prof Yang Hongjun, Vice President of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences.

Prof Yang Hongjun made opening remarks and hosted the Forum

The release activities included the signing ceremony of the sub-center of CCEBTCM , the establishment and the signing of a memorandum of cooperation of International consortium of evidence based traditional and integrative medicine (ICE-TIM), as well as the release of ICE-TIM evidence-based medicine methodological tools. Prof Huang Luqi gave a summary speech on the event, pointing out that these activities marked an important step forward in international cooperation and standardization of evidence-based research in traditional medicine.

Signing Ceremony of the Sub-center of CCEBTCM

Signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation of ICE-TIM

Release of ICE-TIM Evidence-based Medicine Methodological Tools

Prof Huang Luqi Gave a Summary Speech

In the keynote speech session, Prof Gordon Henry Guyatt, McMaster University, Canada, founder of evidence-based medicine, academician of the Academy of Science of the Royal Society of Canada, Prof Will MOY, CEO of The Campbell Collaboration in the UK, and Prof An-Wen CHAN, University of Toronto, Chairman of the Expert Advisory Committee of the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, gave wonderful speeches on topics such as “The past and future of evidence-based medicine”, “Everything the world knows to solve vital problems in one place”, and “Importance of clinical trial protocols: Driving transparency, quality, and efficiency”, providing profound insights and inspirations for the participants.

Prof Gordon Henry Guyatt Made the Keynote Speech

Prof Will MOY Made the Keynote Speech

Prof An-Wen CHAN Made the Keynote Speech

The special report session was hosted by Prof Mariana Cabral Schveitzer, President of Brazilian Academic Consortium for Integrative Health, Prof Bian Zhaoxiang, Associate Vice President, Hong Kong Baptist University, and Prof Elaine ELISABETSKY, Institute of Health Basic Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Ten well-known experts, scholars and heads of international authoritative evidence-based organizations in the field of traditional medicine and evidence-based medicine from Austria, Malaysia, Germany, South Korea, Brazil and China focused on the design, registration, reporting, core outcome design and development, and evidence quality of high-quality traditional medicine complex intervention studies. They demonstrated the current development status of traditional medicine research from the perspective of macro policy-methodology-practical cases and analyzed future development directions.

The exchange and dialogue session were hosted by Prof Zhang Qi, Group leader, International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry Advisory Group, and Prof Bian Zhaoxiang, Associate Vice President, Hong Kong Baptist University. The participants had a lively discussion on topics such as “How to incorporate traditional medicine evidence into international guidelines” and “The key path to improve the quality of evidence for traditional medicine”. They shared their research results and practical experience, discussed the challenges and opportunities faced by traditional medicine evidence-based medicine research, and the direction and prospects of future cooperation.

Exchange and Dialogue 1: How to incorporate traditional medicine evidence into international guidelines
(From left to right they are: Prof Zhang Qi, Group leader, International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry Advisory Group, Prof Gordon Henry Guyatt, McMaster University, Canada, founder of evidence-based medicine, academician of the Academy of Science of the Royal Society of Canada, Prof Jianping Liu, Director of the Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Prof Yufang Hao, Australian Joanna Briggs Institute Center of Excellence of BUCM, Prof Yaolong Chen, GIN-Asia, Director, Chinese GRADE Centre)

Exchange and Dialogue 2: The key path to improve the quality of evidence for traditional medicine
(From left to right they are: Prof Bian Zhaoxiang, Associate Vice President, Hong Kong Baptist University, Prof Elaine ELISABETSKY, Institute of Health Basic Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Prof Rudolf BAUER, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Graz, Austria, Prof Sven SCHRÖDER, HanseMerkur Center for TCM at the University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Prof Zhenggang Bai, Secretary General, Campbell China Network)

The successful holding of this forum not only showcased the latest achievements and progress of Chinese traditional medicine in the field of evidence-based medicine research, but also provided a new platform and opportunity for the cooperation and development of global traditional medicine evidence-based medicine research. The holding of the Forum is of great significance for promoting the in-depth development of traditional medicine evidence-based medicine research and enhancing the status and influence of traditional medicine in the international medical system.