The partnership will see the firm take part in the country’s 13th five-year-plan R&D plan, in order to standardise, modernise, and internationalise the use of TCM.
The 13th five-year-plan runs from 2016 to 2020, and stipulates the objectives and plans for economic and social development in China.
The strengthening of TCM clinical research centres and research institutions was identified as an action plan.
Chief scientist of the project and professor at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Lin Yuan Wang, signed the partnership agreement with Amway China in Nanjing on Sep 22.
According to Wang, the project will oversee six areas, including the teaching of TCM theory, the use of TCM in preventing major disease, securing TCM resources, and internationalisation of TCM etc.
Wang pointed out that although TCM was slowly gaining international recognition, however, the lack of evidence of efficacy and standardisation of R&D system remained a pressing concern, local media Weifang Evening News quoted.
This has impeded the internationalisation of TCM, and thus, the need to modernise TCM research.
“We strongly believe in the power of nature, and at the same time, integrating modern science and technology to develop TCM and use TCM to benefit human health,” said Jia Chen, deputy director of R&D and technical regulation at Amway (Greater China region), at the signing ceremony.
This is not the first time that the firm has participated in a TCM project.
Earlier in 2017, it worked with the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in completing the whole genome sequencing of chrysanthemum.
Chen added that TCM has been at the heart of the firm’s strategic development plan since it first set up R&D centres in Guangzhou and Shanghai in the early 2000s.
In year 2015, the firm set-up a R&D centre that specialises in the study of TCM botanicals for use in dietary supplements in Wuxi, China.
Challenges
China’s regulatory body, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has also voiced similar concerns with regards to standardising the use of botanical extracts.
Supervision Commissioner Zhang Jin Jing earlier said the work required in-depth studies to identify the exact amount of bio-actives from the botanicals needed to achieve a certain health benefit.
He has thus encouraged firms to actively take part by presenting the evidence of efficacy.