The Globalization of Health | Mainstage

Even for a physician trained in modern medicine, traditional medicine offers a new approach to health. Mehmet Oz, Professor of Surgery at Columbia University, explained that over 5,000 years, Chinese medicine is sure to have developed effective treatments. Robert Sinnott, Chief Scientific Officer of Usana Health Services, highlighted his organization’s work with the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, which had researched clinical capabilities but lacked the ability to access the market. Traditional Chinese medicine to Anlong Xu, President of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, offers answers to current issues, particularly regarding quality of life. 

Dr. Oz turned his focus to traditional medicine in Colombia, asking Iván Duque Márquez, President of the Republic of Colombia, how to balance traditional and modern approaches. President Duque stressed that indigenous medicine involves not only cures but prevention. Combining modern and traditional medicine will be important to deal with the post-COVID era and its expected rise in anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.

One abiding challenge in traditional medicine is quality control for supplements. Sinnott explained how the west has developed standards for dietary supplements but that same rigor is lacking in traditional Chinese medicine. Addressing that issue will allow traditional treatments to be more consistent and therefore more impactful.

• There is much that the modern medical establishment can learn from traditional medicine. Just because a treatment or idea is old does not mean that it lacks merit.
• Private enterprise and regulatory bodies can help bring traditional remedies to market, potentially helping many patients.