Last week, for two days the NIH held a Research Roundtable on traditional Chinese medications, where US and China scientists discussed TCM. At the outset, the US and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will set up a collaboration to further scientific research into TCM. The MOU was signed by the Secretary of HHS, Mike Leavitt, and the Chinese Vice Minister of Health, Wang Guoqiang. The MOU acknowledged that “alternative” medical practices are already a part of many Americans’ health practices. Leavitt said the new initiative will help us understand how “to appropriately integrate traditional Chinese medicine with Western medical approaches.” More details...