
AsianScientist (Dec. 13, 2016) – The Global Institute of Traditional Medicine, which aims to understand traditional Chinese Medicine through research, clinical testing, policy development, market analysis and commercialization, was launched in Beijing on December 8, 2016.
The institute is an international research collaboration between the University of Adelaide, the Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine.
“Traditional Chinese Medicine has been practiced in China for over 2,000 years and is already a massive global industry worth billions of dollars,” said the director of the Global Institute of Traditional Medicine, Professor Julie Owens, the University of Adelaide’s Pro Vice-Chancellor – Research Strategy.
The initial priorities at the University of Adelaide under the Global Institute of Traditional Medicine will be investigating Traditional Medicine-related treatments for glucose intolerance (important in diabetes), gut health and improved quality of beef meat.
“There is increasing evidence of therapeutic benefits from these medicines, but for a truly sustainable global market and widespread adoption in western countries, we need scientifically rigorous testing of the safety and efficacy, or not, of these medicines,” Owens said.“There also needs to be new ways of standardizing and optimizing production of the plants and herbs used.
“There are traditional Chinese medicine therapies for most of the leading chronic diseases in the world—potentially we all have a lot to gain from the incorporation of these treatments or related products into modern western medicine.”
———
Source: Univesity of Adelaide; Photo: Shutterstock.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.