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My impression from the 13th Taipei Traditional Chinese Medicine International Forum

I recently participated as a speaker at the 13th Taipei Traditional Chinese Medicine International Forum.

The following post is my own summary and take away from the conference’s lectures and overall impression.

Don’t miss the scientific research about the use of Chinese Herbal medicine for COVID-19.

These are my 7-key points of impressions (see below):

  1. The 13th Taipei Traditional Chinese Medicine International Forum is one of the largest TCM conferences in the world, attracting western and Chinese medicine doctors from all over the world. This year, under the limitations and restrictions of COVID-19 pandemic, many international speakers could not join to the conference, however, online-streaming lectures took place and speakers from China, Singapore, South Korea, Hungary, France, Italy, Germany, Canada and Israel (myself included in an on-site lecture) had wonderful and interesting lectures.
  2. In Taiwan, Chinese medicine use is integrated into a modern healthcare system, supported and subsidized by the National Health Insurance (NHI) program. TCM incorporates three main treatment modalities which are fully covered by the NHI: Chinese herbal medicine, which comprising the use of multiple single herbs and combinations in herbal formulas; acupuncture, including moxibustion, cupping and electroacupuncture; and manual therapy, including Tuina and acupressure.
  3. It is not only that Chinese medicine treatment modalities are integrated into the healthcare system for the benefits of the Taiwanese population, but that it also considered as valuable and important treasure by the Taiwanese government and as evidence of this, Taiwan’s president Ing-Wen Cai, Taiwan’s health minister and other important political figures joined the conference’s reception.

4. I was very humbled and honored to be among TCM experts from all over the world at the 13th Taipei conference, under the section of TCM Clinical Research and New Knowledge and had a 30 minutes presentation about the use acupuncture for the reduction of coronary heart disease in Osteoarthritis patients. I shared real-world evidence from my recent publication and the beneficial efficacy and cost-effectiveness that acupuncture treatment has on these patients. Once again, it is a great opportunity to thank Taipei Chinese Medicine association for the invitation to give this talk and for organizing an excellent conference.

5. COVID-19 and Chinese medicine use’s lectures: I attended two very interesting lectures about the use of Chinese medicine treatments against COVID-19. The first is the effect of Laser Acupuncture and the supplementation of minerals and vitamins (like Vitamin C and D and Zinc) for the treatment of COVID-19 patients who were admitted to the ICU departments in Teheran, Iran. The lecture was done by Dr. Michael Weber (Germany) from The European TCM Laser Academy, in which he shared their clinical trial findings that showed a promising effects using the combined treatment of Laser Acupuncture and the supplementation of trace elements in COVID-19 patients.

The second presentation was about the use of Chinese medicine formula, named RespireAid (NRICM101) in the treatment of COVID-19. In this bedside-to-bench study, NRICM101 has been administered to patients with COVID-19 in Taiwan since April 2020. Its clinical outcomes and pharmacology have been evaluated and among 33 patients with confirmed COVID-19 admitted in two medical centers, those (n = 12) who were older, sicker, with more co-existing conditions and showing no improvement after 21 days of hospitalization were given NRICM101. They achieved 3 consecutive negative results within a median of 9 days and reported no adverse events. Pharmacological assays demonstrated the effects of the formula in inhibiting the spike protein/ACE2 interaction, 3CL protease activity, viral plaque formation, and production of cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. This study suggests that NRICM101 may disrupt disease progression through its antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, offering promise as a multi-target agent for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

To read the full scientific paper press here

6. As always, the conference was well organized by a group of professionals and voluntaries who make sure that all of the speakers and attendance needs were fulfilled. A dinner party with great food and a ‘mini’ karaoke party were the closer of this great event. It was a huge surprise to see all of my Taiwanese colleagues singing out at loud, whenever the karaoke’s microphone is handing to them. You can be 100% sure that the visit of the beautiful city of Taipei will be joyful along with the attendance of a highly professional conference.

This is the closing video and a summary of the 2-days event of the 13th Taipei Traditional Chinese Medicine International Forum:

7. Let’s cross our fingers that this pandemic is being behind us and hopefully to see you next year at the 14th Taipei Traditional Chinese Medicine International Forum.

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