The ethnic medicine for external use is an important dosage form in the external treatment methods of ethnic medicine.China has made significant progress in related research and applications.However,the regulations and guidelines for clinical research on external medicine are limited,and the related technologies and quality standards are not yet well-established in China.This article summarized the specific issues during the implementation of clinical research on ethnic medicine of external use:the research design failing to reflect the value and unique characteristics of these medicine;the big difficulty in the recruitment of participants,leading to delays in progress;inconsistent implementation of interventions;and the quality of research data needing to be improved,etc.Combining the authors'experience in project implementation management,this article proposed solutions to improve research quality and progress,including incorporating experts from various fields including ethnic medicine and research centers;refining participant recruitment strategies;analyzing factors affecting progress and optimizing the implementation process;and strengthening overall management and establishing a competitive enrollment mechanism.The article also shared a case study of the Tibetan medicine Qingpeng Ointment for the treatment of acute gouty arthritis,aiming to provide a reference for the clinical research on ethnic medicine of external use.

Chinese patent medicines for external use represent a distinct category of clinical drugs with unique therapeutic characteristics.At present,the research foundation of some topical Chinese patent medicines for external use is weak,and the accuracy and standardization of clinical application need to be improved.The research on clinical positioning of Chinese patent medicines for external use is of great significance for standardizing clinical medication,exploring the differentiated value of drugs and similar products,enhancing the safety of drug use,improving the efficiency of medical resource use,and promoting the secondary development and cultivation of drugs after listing.On the basis of summarizing the research status of clinical positioning of Chinese patent medicines for external use,this article put forward the significance,necessity and challenges of carrying out this research.Combined with the authors'practical experience,the authors put forward five experiences to carry out the post marketing clinical positioning research of Chinese patent medicines for external use,including distinguishing the theory of external treatment of Chinese materia medica,paying attention to the unmet needs in the modern medical system,not separating from the actual efficacy and dosage form characteristics of Chinese patent medicines for external use,clarifying the mechanism of"same treatment for different diseases",and verifying the clinical positioning hypothesis,which can provide references for relevant research.

The ethnic medicine for external use is an important dosage form in the external treatment methods of ethnic medicine.China has made significant progress in related research and applications.However,the regulations and guidelines for clinical research on external medicine are limited,and the related technologies and quality standards are not yet well-established in China.This article summarized the specific issues during the implementation of clinical research on ethnic medicine of external use:the research design failing to reflect the value and unique characteristics of these medicine;the big difficulty in the recruitment of participants,leading to delays in progress;inconsistent implementation of interventions;and the quality of research data needing to be improved,etc.Combining the authors'experience in project implementation management,this article proposed solutions to improve research quality and progress,including incorporating experts from various fields including ethnic medicine and research centers;refining participant recruitment strategies;analyzing factors affecting progress and optimizing the implementation process;and strengthening overall management and establishing a competitive enrollment mechanism.The article also shared a case study of the Tibetan medicine Qingpeng Ointment for the treatment of acute gouty arthritis,aiming to provide a reference for the clinical research on ethnic medicine of external use.

Chinese patent medicines for external use represent a distinct category of clinical drugs with unique therapeutic characteristics.At present,the research foundation of some topical Chinese patent medicines for external use is weak,and the accuracy and standardization of clinical application need to be improved.The research on clinical positioning of Chinese patent medicines for external use is of great significance for standardizing clinical medication,exploring the differentiated value of drugs and similar products,enhancing the safety of drug use,improving the efficiency of medical resource use,and promoting the secondary development and cultivation of drugs after listing.On the basis of summarizing the research status of clinical positioning of Chinese patent medicines for external use,this article put forward the significance,necessity and challenges of carrying out this research.Combined with the authors'practical experience,the authors put forward five experiences to carry out the post marketing clinical positioning research of Chinese patent medicines for external use,including distinguishing the theory of external treatment of Chinese materia medica,paying attention to the unmet needs in the modern medical system,not separating from the actual efficacy and dosage form characteristics of Chinese patent medicines for external use,clarifying the mechanism of"same treatment for different diseases",and verifying the clinical positioning hypothesis,which can provide references for relevant research.

Objective: To provide high-quality clinical evidence of the efficacy of Tibetan medicine Honghua Ruyi (HHRY) pills for endometriosis-associated dysmenorrhea. Methods: This study constitutes a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial encompassing a three-menstrual cycle intervention followed by a three-menstrual cycle follow-up period. A total of 164 eligible females with endometriosis-associated dysmenorrhea were randomly divided into HHRY pills and placebo groups in a 1:1 ratio. The primary outcome included dysmenorrhea symptoms assessed using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores and quality of life, whereas the secondary outcome measures included the maximum VAS for non-menstrual pelvic pain, duration of pain episodes (in days), frequency and quantity of the consumption of ibuprofen sustained-release capsules (or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), and days off work/study for staff/student due to dysmenorrhea, ovarian cyst, and/or pelvic nodule size. The safety was monitored throughout the treatment period. All the analyses were based on the intention-to-treat principle. For continuous outcomes, simple or multiple linear regressions were used to estimate the differences between the HHRY pills and placebo groups, with categorical data expressed as the number and percentage of occurrences. Differences were compared using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. The predefined analysis was adjusted for concomitant treatment, a variable considered to be associated with outcomes but unaffected by treatment allocation. Estimates of treatment effects were reported with 95% confidence intervals. Two-tailed P values ≤ .05 were considered statistically significant. Conclusion Positive results from this trial, upon completion would provide robust evidence for the efficacy and safety of HHRY pills in treating dysmenorrhea in patients with endometriosis.