WHO report highlights the role of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the treatment of COVID-19

BEIJING, April 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — A news report by haiwainet.cn:

On March 31, World Health Organization released the meeting report of “WHO Expert Meeting on Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the Treatment of COVID-19” on its official website. The report acknowledged that on the basis of clinically relevant outcome measures, the studied TCMs are beneficial in the treatment of COVID-19, particularly in mild-to-moderate cases. WHO encourages Member States to consider the integration of traditional medicine interventions such as TCM in planning for the clinical management of COVID-19 in the context of their healthcare systems and regulatory frameworks.

The report pointed out that in the process of treating COVID-19, there are promising data to suggest that TCM is beneficial in reducing the risk of progression from mild-to-moderate cases to severe COVID-19. When administered as add-on interventions to conventional treatment, TCM may shorten the time for viral clearance, resolution of clinical symptoms, and length of hospital stay when compared to conventional treatment alone.

The report recommends that WHO should share the outcomes of this consultation with Member States in a timely manner given the evolving nature of COVID-19 globally. Member States are encouraged to consider the potential use of TCM for the management of COVID-19 in the context of their healthcare systems and regulatory frameworks; share experiences and lessons, particularly those actively acquired through this organized research programme in TCM and clinical experience from China.

Yu Wenming, head of China’s National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said China is willing to assist other WHO Member States to strengthen the role of traditional medicine in their health systems.

As of March 2022, the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry, which is part of WHO’s ICTRP (International Clinical Trials Registry Platform), showed 859 clinical studies of COVID-19 in China. Among these Chinese clinical trials, 213 relate to TCM.