| The use of alternative medicine has become increasingly popular around the world, mainly because of growing interest in holistic medicine and natural methods of healing. The Public is becoming increasingly aware of the limits of Modern medicine, and is looking forward to the possible benefits of alternative medicine. Because of the lack of perfect confidence on Modern medicine due to the unclear role of health promotion and unsatisfactory outcome of chronic diseases, people turn to alternative medicine. In Hong Kong, alternative medicine in reality, means very much Chinese medicine. A better understanding of the prevalence of Chinese medicine is needed in order to determine what needs to be done to improve the safety and efficacy of Chinese medicine with regard to its service role in the Health Care System. This thesis is structured to assess the popularity and peoples' attitude of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong; to assess the validity of evidence-based approach in the evaluation of the efficacy of Chinese medicine; and to explore the role of Chinese medicine in health care in the Health Care System.; I. Exploring the prevalence of Chinese medicine. A questionnaire survey was conducted in 100 healthy people and 82 breast cancer patients. The survey showed that a very high prevalence of using Chinese medicine as a health supplementary was found among the healthy people (98%). The prevalence was even higher among breast cancer patients (99%).; II. Evidence based evaluation of the efficacy of Chinese medicine . The public's increasing use of Chinese medicine has added urgency to the need of examining the efficacy and safety of Chinese medicine practice and product. In order to understand the efficacy of Chinese medicine and the feasibility of standard research methodology of evidence-based medicine, two clinical trials were conducted in 100 healthy subjects and 82 breast cancer patients using the preparation contains YunZhi (Coriolus versicolor ) and Danshen (Radix Salviae miltorrhizae). The findings showed that the YunZhi and Danshen compound significantly enhanced the quality of life in healthy and some breast cancer subjects with reference to physical, emotional and health transitions.; III. Role of Chinese medicine in our health care system. Chinese medicine has been used for more than 3000 years in China and there have been numerous reports of efficacy. Chinese medicine would be offering solutions to some medical condition, where modern medicine yet failed to provide effective solution. Examples included chronic diseases, viral infections, allergies, derangements, cancers, etc. The health care system could provide the public alternative choices of medical treatment related to Chinese medicine as valuable supplements to modern medicine. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
