Whether traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) could be categorized as a kind of science or not has been a controversial issue over last century. Part of the confusion is caused by the indistinguishable usage of Chinese words "science" and "scientific" during discussion. According to western academic standards, TCM cannot be considered as pure or conventional science. However, in author's view, the foundation of a majority part of TCM practice is probably scientific, while many TCM theories remain unproved. In this article, medical theories and practices are classified based on scientific content into eight levels: medical science, scientific medicine, medical system, medical theory, medical opinion, medical belief, medical cultism, and medical fraud. Both Western medicine and TCM are positioned in this system accordingly. Currently, the scientific level of TCM is much lower than that of Western medicine, and more research is needed for its improvement.
Biomedical Research ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards

Biomedical Research ; ethics ; Humans ; Microbiota ; Research Design ; standards

Biomedical Research ; standards ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; standards ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Research Design ; standards

Our study aimed to amplify and explain the items of statistical reporting requirements proposed by medical journals, and to improve the statistical reporting quality of medical articles. Statistical reporting requirements were obtained from the reporting standards published by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency of Health Research (EQUATOR) network, and the editorial board of Chinese Medical Journal, etc. The items involved in statistical reporting requirements were summarized as issues of study design, statistical analysis, and interpretation of results. Each item was amplified based on cases of original articles. It is noticeable that the statistical reporting requirements of English medical journals generally referring to guidance documents, including "Recommendations for the conduct, reporting, editing, and publication of scholarly work in medical journals" proposed by the ICMJE, or the statements for different study types published by the EQUATOR network, where the statistical reporting of medical articles had been detailed specified. The statistical reporting requirements of Chinese medical journals, however, were usually stated by the editorial boards. Although the formats and contents of statistical analysis had been regulated, the requirements of Chinese medical journals were to some extent insufficient and should be enhanced in accordance with the international standards. In conclusion, the amplification and explanation of statistical reporting requirements were expected to help investigators understand the requirements for statistical reporting in medical researches, so as to effectively improve the quality of medical articles.
Biomedical Research ; Editorial Policies ; Humans ; Periodicals as Topic/standards* ; Publishing/standards* ; Reference Standards ; Research Design

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has been widely applied in clinical study of acupuncture and moxibustion, and the real-world study (RWS) has gradually become an important way of clinical research in the world in recent years. It is worthy of our in-depth study and discussion that how to evaluate the advantages and limitations of EBM and RWS as well as their reasonable application in clinical study of acupuncture and moxibustion. The characteristics and difference between RWS and EBM, and the situation of acupuncture clinical research methods are discussed in this paper. It is proposed that we should understand the advantages of RWS in acupuncture clinical research, fully realize the limitations of EBM and RWS, recognize the complexity and particularity of RWS, and apply EBM and RWS into acupuncture clinical research. Meanwhile acupuncture clinical manipulation standardization should be further promoted, which is benefit to develop clinical study, improve clinical efficacy and promote the popularization of acupuncture and moxibustion.
Acupuncture Therapy ; standards ; Biomedical Research ; standards ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; standards ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Moxibustion ; standards

International clinical trials register is one of the global measures to realize transparency in clinical trials and also one of a powerful measure to improve the quality of clinical trials. Many scholars studying the quality of TCM clinical trials find that they are poor in quality and lack transparency. Furthermore, they find that TCM clinical trial registry has many problems. We must base on the successful experiences of WHO and international clinical trial registry to establish technical specifications for registry of traditional Chinese medicine clinical study of their own. Then, it can effectively improve the overall level of TCM clinical studies. We have suggested some concrete and feasible measures to establish technical specifications for registry of traditional Chinese medicine clinical study of their own based on the problems of TCM clinical trial registry.
Biomedical Research ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards ; Registries

Biomedical Research ; methods ; standards ; Disease ; etiology ; Humans ; Risk Factors

To introduce the international registration condition of acupuncture clinical research. With the examples of World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and the U. S. National Institutes of Health Clinical Registration Platform, the registration method and current condition of acupuncture clinical trials in international clinical trials registration platform were analyzed. The results indicate that the number of acupuncture clinical trials registration is gradually increased and the registration number from China is on the rise as well. But most domestic acupuncture clinical researches haven't been registered arid the researchers' valuing degree for clinical trials registration and methodology research needs to be improved.
Acupuncture Therapy ; standards ; Biomedical Research ; legislation & jurisprudence ; standards ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; legislation & jurisprudence ; standards ; Humans ; Registries

Through introduction of the methodological mechanism and comparison with classic randomized controlled trial, the status and the applicability of the expertise-based randomized controlled trials in clinic are explored, and its characteristics in acupuncture clinical application are analyzed. It is held that expertise-based randomized controlled trial is more suitable for the acupuncture clinical research, especially for acupuncture practice which emphasizes manipulations and different schools.
Acupuncture Therapy ; standards ; Biomedical Research ; standards ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; methods ; standards

Through review of the major databases in English and Chinese, it is found that there is an absence of articles on special coverage of compliance of research fellows and testees in acupuncture clinical trials. Therefore, the author proposed (1) The compliance of research fellows should be guaranteed through proper work division with reasonable, standard and strict research designation as well as comprehensive systems of selection, supervision and estimation. (2) The compliance of testees should be guaranteed through enhancing of the right to know, improving of the medical environment and constructing a better doctor-patient relationship. Therefore, the compliance of clinical trials can be improved, the quality of clinical research enhanced and the reliability of the research results can be guaranteed.
Acupuncture Therapy ; standards ; Biomedical Research ; standards ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; standards ; Humans