Analysis of the development course of traditional Chinese medicine standardization and recommendations on future work

Abstract

This paper systematically reviews the development course of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) standardization. Based on the characteristics of TCM standardization at different stages, the development course can be divided into 3 stages, namely the “initial development stage” (from the 1980s to the “10th Five-Year Plan” period), the “rapid development stage” (from the “11th Five-Year Plan” period to the “13th Five-Year Plan” period), and the “high-quality development stage” (from the “14th Five-Year Plan” period to the present). The “initial development stage” is characterized by the emergence of awareness regarding TCM standardization, the initial exploration of TCM standardization, and a gradual but slow progress in development. During the “rapid development stage,” relevant government departments began integrating TCM standardization into development plans, resulting in the extensive development of the TCM standard system and its supporting structures. Since the commencement of the “high-quality development stage,” TCM standardization has progressively shifted from a quantity-oriented model to 1 emphasizing quality and efficiency. Overall, TCM standardization has made remarkable progress after more than 40 years of development. However, it still faces various challenges, including unbalanced development in the standard system, the need for improvement in the development quality of group standards, and insufficient levels of promotion and application. It is recommended to further enhance the formulation of national and industry TCM standards, implement relevant management measures, promote the innovative implementation and application of TCM standards, establish an integrated, comprehensive service platform for TCM standards, and strengthen the talent training for TCM standardization.