Committee Member Lei Jufang: Suggests prioritizing the development of a catalog of classic, time-tested prescriptions for ethnic medicines.

　　On March 2, 2017, a symposium themed “Proposal on Prioritizing the Development of a Catalog of Time-Honored Formulas for Ethnic Medicines” was held at the Tibet Building in Beijing.

　　At the meeting, Lei Jufang, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairperson of Tibet Qizheng Tibetan Medicine Co., Ltd.; Liang Jun, Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Association of Ethnic Medicine; and Wang Ju, former Deputy Director of the Cultural Promotion Department of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, each shared their perspectives on the inheritance pathways, anticipated plans, and development directions of ethnic medicine, drawing on the realities of the Tibetan medicine industry and their respective professional fields. They also engaged in exchanges and discussions with the media reporters attending the meeting.

　　In 2016, the "Law of the People's Republic of China on Traditional Chinese Medicine" was promulgated and will take effect on July 1, 2017. The law explicitly states that “the term ‘Traditional Chinese Medicine’ as used in this Law refers to the collective designation of the medical systems of all ethnic groups in China, including both Han and minority ethnic medicines.” This provides a legal basis for better inheriting and promoting the traditional medicine of the Chinese nation.

　　In addition to the traditional Chinese medical theories, ethnic medicine systems represented by Tibetan, Mongolian, and Uyghur medicine also boast well-developed theoretical frameworks and extensive historical texts. According to reports, Tibetan medicine, as codified in the "Four Medical Tantras" that took shape in the 8th century AD, already includes more than 400 commonly used classic prescriptions. Mongolian medicine currently relies on approximately 300 such classic prescriptions, while Uyghur medicine continues to use over 200 classic prescriptions today. By contrast, only a few dozen of these prescriptions have so far been developed into officially approved Chinese medicinal products bearing the national drug registration number.

　　To this end, during the 2017 “Two Sessions,” Lei Jufang put forward a proposal entitled “Prioritize the Development of a Catalog of Time-Honored Formulas for Ethnic Medicines and Approve Their Development.” The main contents of this proposal include: under the unified guidance of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, entrusting autonomous regions or influential academic societies in the ethnic medicine sector to organize ethnic medical experts to formulate selection criteria for time-honored formulas of various ethnic groups and compile a corresponding catalog; adopting a mechanism of systematically organizing and cataloging a batch of formulas as they are finalized, promptly reviewing and releasing them; and encouraging ethnic medicine enterprises to conduct new drug research and development or to develop new dosage forms based on the approved time-honored formulas, among other measures.

　　In addition, Lei Jufang also submitted proposals focusing on health poverty alleviation and medical security—such as fully leveraging the role of traditional ethnic medicine in health poverty alleviation and strengthening and expanding publicity efforts for the country’s comprehensive medical insurance coverage for serious illnesses—thus fulfilling her duties as a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

　　At the exchange meeting, attendees engaged in a wide-ranging and lively discussion on the proposal itself as well as on topics including the cultural preservation of ethnic medicine, scientific accessibility, talent development, and poverty alleviation through employment. The meeting ran about half an hour longer than originally scheduled before coming to a close.

　　In primitive society, Shennong’s tasting of hundreds of herbs was both an act of great courage and an expression of helplessness, given that science was still in its infancy. Yet as we enter the 21st century, humanity has both the capability and the responsibility to carry forward and innovate, thereby benefiting ourselves. How to better integrate the wisdom of traditional medicine into modern life is a new challenge facing Chinese medicine—including ethnic medicine—and it is a challenge that humanity itself must rise to meet and find answers for.

　　Reporting media: China Tibet Online

　　Report link: http://www.toutiao.com/a6393198873209504001/