value of research

[Guest guest]

The vast majority of research on chinese herbs from china is

basically allopathic. This formula for that disease. Pattern

diagnosis based studies are much rarer. We have assumed that

successful chinese research is transferable to the west. a

sophisticated observer would no doubt assume that if a westerner

presents with a pattern similar to that treated by the formula, it

would be successful. The idea being that even if the research is

allopathic, we can still interpret it from a bian zheng perspective.

But if western patients do not typically present with the same

patterns as chinese patients, then it is likely that most chinese

allopathic style research focuses on formulas that address patterns

seen commonly in chinese patients. This would also suggest that

chinese physicians have had less experience with formulas that treat

patterns typically seen in westerners. With less experience and less

research, we can't just assume that the formulas that address

patterns rarely seen in china work as well as those that address

common patterns. This underscores the importance of research on

formulas that address the presentations of western patients. if

chinese patients present only in small numbers with toothmarked

tongues, then what do we really know about how effective spleen

tonification is in damp patients? I guess we can wait 2000 more

years of trial and error or perhaps much longer since only about 1%

of the modern american population has ever taken a full strength

chinese herbal formula. It is careless at best to suggest that the

history of chinese medicine tells us how to effectively treat modern

americans. it gives us an appealing template for treatment that

appears to be largely untested. if the template is valid, it will

survive the test. but as I said in my last post, don't hold your

breath expecting miracles. if TCM cured lupus or cancer or hep C,

the chinese would have proved it a 100 times over by now. Only after

herbalists accepts their role in the healthcare system will they be

given any respect. As long as practitioners continue to make

outlandish claims about the treatment and prevention of chronic

illness, they will find themselves more and more marginalized.

 

 

Chinese Herbs