As more Chinese begin to take dietary supplements, such as fish oil and vitamins, traditional Chinese health products are finding new overseas markets.
Liu Guo'en, a pharmaceutical expert with the North Carolina University of the United States, applauded traditional Chinese medicine's emergence in the international market in the form of dietary supplements.
Traditional Chinese medicine was not easily accepted in overseas markets because its theoretical system was completely different from that of Western medicine. Therefore, scientific scrutiny, including quantitative and qualitative analysis as applied to Western medicine, was not applicable to Chinese medicine, said Liu.
Compared to common drugs, herbal health foods were much more likely to be passed by the US Food and Drug Administration, which would facilitate their entry into foreign markets.
Yu Mingde, vice-director of the Economy Operation Bureau under the State Economic and Trade Commission, pointed out that China's traditional medicine industry mainly promoted food supplements to overseas markets.
Yu said, "Many foreigners are inclined to take supplements to maintain their health." A survey showed that about 57 percent of Americans habitually took supplements or experimented with them.
However, Liu Guo'en argued that China's traditional medicine business should keep its focus at home in terms of market potential.
"To develop sufficient customers is the premise for traditional Chinese medicine to expand overseas markets," Liu said. It was not feasible to rely only on small groups consumers at small Chinese markets in foreign countries, such as San Francisco and Los Angeles.
In addition, the development of traditional Chinese medicine must turn to scientific technologies. Liu suggested comparing the curative effect of Chinese and Western medicines by scientific methods, which may make foreigners more accepting of traditional herbal medicine.
