The integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, and development of bio-synthetics of natural TCM materials, are both major measures to boost TCM development, medical experts told a forum at the 5th China International Import Expo.

Top medical experts and scientists from both home and abroad, as well as health officials and industry insiders, participated in the forum – Promoting Industrial High-Quality Development and Building a Healthy Community of Shared Future for Mankind.

The role of TCM in COVID-19 prevention and control, the modern use of traditional herbal recipes, and a combination of TCM and modern chemicals were highlighted during the forum.

Dr Zhang Boli, a TCM expert and leading expert of China's TCM response to the COVID-19 pandemic, said it is a must to use modern technology to explain TCM.

"There was no specific medicine during the early outburst of COVID-19," Zhang said. "We studied the TCM database to develop new Xuanfei Baidu Prescription, which proved effective and safe through animal and cell experiments, explaining the mechanism why the prescription can treat COVID-19.

"Different from Western medicine, TCM doesn't target the virus but human. It takes effect by boosting the person's own immunity to fight against the virus."

Now, the medicine is not only marketed in China but also exported to Canada and Uzbekistan.

He said the evidence-based research of TCM has been widely carried out in China for international recognition, industrialization and modernization of traditional therapies.

Lin Guoqiang, president of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine's Innovation Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said the integration of TCM with chemotherapy is able to reduce adverse reaction of chemotherapy medicines while ensuring effective treatment.

He said chemotherapy medicines can cause toxicity to the heart. Experts use the Shexiangbaoxin pill, a traditional Chinese medicine which can enhance blood vessel growth and expand blood vessels for heart attack prevention and control. This can streamline the chemotherapy medicine's arrival into the cancer while reducing damage to the heart.

"Animal experiments have effectively proven the effects, which oncologists show great interest in," he said.

He also advocated the bio-synthesis of natural TCM components for the protection of wild animals and reduction on land use.