Workers produce wangshi baochiwan, a traditional Chinese medicine mostly for treating children's digestive problems, in Nantong, Jiangsu province, in February. The technique of making the medicine is listed as an intangible heritage of the province.[Photo by Xu Congjun/For China Daily]

A major progress in the international promotion of traditional Chinese medicine is the inclusion of TCM in the World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases for the first time. This will take effect in the organization's global compendium after endorsement from member states in 2022.

When asked why TCM is included in the ICD, WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic wrote in an email response that it will help promote TCM internationally by improving international comparability of practice, the research and reporting of morbidity in TCM, digitization of TCM diagnoses data, enhance adverse-event reporting, and enables integration of TCM into insurance coverage and reimbursement systems.

"Traditional medicine is used in many countries around the world, but often without being noted, documented and reported," wrote Jasarevic in the response. He added that the inclusion of traditional medicine in the ICD will help log traditional medicine encounters in a standardized and internationally comparable manner.

As the best preserved traditional medicine in the world, TCM is practiced in more than 180 countries and regions, with 10 overseas TCM centers having been built by the end of last year, according to the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

TCM normally uses various herbal medications to restore health and prevent and relieve illnesses. Moreover, TCM includes procedures such as acupuncture and cupping.

Yang Zhen, an associate professor at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, said TCM therapies such as acupuncture have been widely adopted in Western countries such as the United States and Canada, but TCM still lacks international recognition, and most insurance companies overseas do not cover these treatments.