Beijing expected to build global TCM research center

Edited and translated by People's Daily Online

In the process of building a global technological innovation center, Beijing is suggested to build a global traditional Chinese medicine R&D center for the development and industrialization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Traditional Chinese medicine in Beijing has been known as "State Medicine" and "Beijing Medicine". But, the output value, revenue and profit growth of the TCM industry in Beijing are lower than the national average and haven't given full play to the leading role.

As a matter of fact, TCM in Beijing enjoys unique advantages. There are large traditional pharmaceutical enterprises that integrate marketing, scientific research, production and medical treatment, as well as natural product extraction businesses.

As a competitive industry, TCM in Beijing has developed by leaps and bounds. The output value of TCM in Beijing exceeded eight billion yuan in 2010. In the first half of 2011, the year-on-year growth rate of the TCM industry was about 21 percent.

However, the development of traditional Chinese medicine in Beijing also faces shackles. The first is the modern and scientific TCM evaluation system is still imperfect. In the current quality control assurance system established with medicinal materials as the core, the lack of TCM resources, limit of raw material prices and other factors lead to the mismatches between the TCM clinical needs and industrial products.

Meanwhile, the lack of information sharing platforms among the central and municipal scientific research institutes has restricted the conversion of scientific and technological achievements. These factors have directly influenced the output value, revenue and profit growth of the TCM industry in Beijing.