Cohort study on the treatment of BRAF V600E mutant metastatic colorectal cancer with integrated Chinese and western medicine

BACKGROUND Patients with BRAF V600E mutant metastatic colorectal cancer(mCRC)have a low incidence rate,poor biological activity,suboptimal response to conventional treatments,and a poor prognosis.In the previous cohort study on mCRC conducted by our team,it was observed that integrated Chinese and Western medicine treatment could significantly prolong the overall survival(OS)of patients with colorectal cancer.Therefore,we further explored the survival benefits in the population with BRAF V600E mutant mCRC.AIM To evaluate the efficacy of integrated Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of BRAF V600E mutant metastatic colorectal cancer.METHODS A cohort study was conducted on patients with BRAF V600E mutant metastatic colorectal cancer admitted to Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences and Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from January 2016 to December 2022.The patients were divided into two cohorts.RESULTS A total of 34 cases were included,with 23 in Chinese-Western medicine cohort(cohort A)and 11 in Western medicine cohort(cohort B).The median overall survival was 19.9 months in cohort A and 14.2 months in cohort B,with a statistically significant difference(P=0.038,hazard ratio=0.46).The 1-3-year survival rates were 95.65%(22/23),39.13%(9/23),and 26.09%(6/23)in cohort A,and 63.64%(7/11),18.18%(2/11),and 9.09%(1/11)in cohort B,respectively.Subgroup analysis showed statistically significant differences in median OS between the two cohorts in the right colon,liver metastasis,chemotherapy,and first-line treatment subgroups(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Integrated Chinese and Western medicine can prolong the survival and reduce the risk of death in patients with BRAF V600E mutant metastatic colorectal cancer,with more pronounced benefits observed in patients with right colon involvement,liver metastasis,combined chemotherapy,and first-line treatment.

Research on the development methodology for clinical practice guidelines for organic integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine

Integrated traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and Western medicine(WM)is a new medical science grounded in the knowledge bases of both TCM and WM,which then forms a unique modern medical system in China.Integrated TCM and WM has a long history in China,and has made important achievements in the process of clinical diagnosis and treatment.However,the methodological defects in currently published clinical practice guidelines(CPGs)limit its development.The organic integration of TCM and WM is a deeper integration of TCM and WM.To realize the progression of"integration"to"organic integration",a targeted and standardized guideline development methodology is needed.Therefore,the purpose of this study is to establish a standardized development procedure for clinical practice guidelines for the organic integration of TCM and WM to promote the systematic integration of TCM and WM research results into clinical practice guidelines in order to achieve optimal results as the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Quality of life and survival analyses of breast cancer cases treated with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine

BACKGROUND Breast cancer(BC)is the second leading cause of tumor-related mortality after lung cancer.Chemotherapy resistance remains a major challenge to progress in BC treatment,warranting further exploration of feasible and effective alternative therapies.AIM To analyzed the quality of life(QoL)and survival of patients with BC treated with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine(TCM-WM).METHODS This study included 226 patients with BC admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine between February 2018 and February 2023,including 100 who received conventional Western medicine treatment(control group)and 126 who received TCM-WM treatment(research group).The total effective rate,side effects(alopecia,nausea and vomiting,hepatorenal toxicity,and myelosuppression),QoL assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire(EORTC QLQ-C30),1-year overall survival(OS),recurrence and metastasis rates,and serum inflammatory factors[interleukin(IL)-6,IL-10,and tumor necrosis factor alpha]were comparatively analyzed.RESULTS The research group showed statistically better overall efficacy,EORTC QoL-C30 scores,and 1-year OS than the control group,with markedly lower side effects and 1-year recurrence and metastasis rates.Moreover,the posttreatment levels of serum inflammatory in the research group were significantly lower than the baseline and those in the control group.CONCLUSION Overall,TCM-WM demonstrated significantly improved therapeutic efficacy while ensuring drug safety in BC,which not only improved patients’QoL and prolonged survival,but also significantly inhibited the inflammatory response.

Nursing perspective of expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of cerebral infarction with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine

Cerebral infarction(CI)is also known as ischemic stroke.It is one of the most common cerebrovascular diseases,with high mortality and disability rate,which has seriously threatened human health.To better apply the diagnosis and treatment plan of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine to the treatment of patients with CI,the Chinese Association of Integrative Medicine issued the Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Cerebral Infarction with the Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in 2021.It involves etiology and pathogenesis of CI,diagnosis and treatment standards of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)and Western Medicine,syndrome elements of TCM,as well as rehabilitation nursing of CI with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine during acute period and recovery period.This study interprets the consensus from routine nursing,dietary nursing,emotional nursing,complication nursing,rehabilitation nursing,and continuous nursing,aiming to provide evidence-based support for clinical TCM nursing practice.

Clinical Experience in the Treatment of Vulvovaginal Candida Disease with Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine

Summarizing two cases of vaginal candidiasis,cured by integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine in clinical work,it is found that the combination of traditional Chinese and western medicine has a significant effect on the treatment of this disease.The curative effect is outstanding,and the recurrence rate is significantly reduced,which can be used as a reference for gynecological medical workers.

Give Full Play the Role of Traditional Chinese Medicine to Prevent and Treat Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome with Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine Approach

Member of Political Bureau of Central Committee of CPC, Vice Premier of State Council concurrently Minister of Health, General Command of National Protecting and Treating Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ( SARS) Headquarters Vice premier WU Yi cordially met the well-known TCM specialists, and held a symposium with them. Sixteen specialists including WANG Yong-yan, CHEN Ke-ji, LI Fu-ren, JIAO Shu-de, HE Pu-ren, LIU

Traditional Chinese combined with western therapy in treatment of upper extremity edema after breast cancer surgery: A meta-analysis

Objective:To evaluate clinical efficacy by traditional Chinese combined with western therapy to treat upper extremity edema after breast cancer surgery.The clinical efficacy was described by the effective rate and the change of peripheral diameter of the affected limb.Methods:National Knowledge Internet(CNKI),Wan Fang Digital Journals(Wan Fang),VIP Chinese periodical service platform(VIP),Chinese biomedical literature service system(CBM),PubMed and EMBASE were searched on computer.And clinical randomized controlled trials(RCT)of the treatment of upper extremity edema after breast cancer surgery with integration of Chinese and western treatment were selected.The time was from January 2011 to May 2020.Upper extremity edema after breast cancer surgery was the first key word and the second was traditional Chinese combined with western therapy.Note Express was used to screen and extract literature.Bias risks of all the literature included in the study were evaluated and analyzed by RevMan5.3 software.Results:10 randomized controlled clinical tests,644 patients in conformity to the inclusion criteria,9 for the observation of curative effectiveness,5 of changes in limb circumference.322 cases were included in the observation group and the same number of cases in the control group,all of which were in Chinese.The results expressed that the curative effect in the observation group was 91.1%,and it was higher than the curative effect in the control group treated by single western treatment obviously,and it was only 68.9%[95%CI(1.22,1.44),Z=6.55,P<0.00001].The peripheral diameter shrinking degree of the affected limb in the observation group was also clearly higher than that in the control group which was healed by simple western treatment[95%CI(-0.98,-0.64),Z=9.40,P<0.00001].Conclusion:Traditional Chinese combined with western therapy treating upper extremity edema after the surgery of breast cancer had a notable clinical effect,which treated the disease and effectively lessened the peripheral diameter of the affected limb.The method was worthy of clinical application.However,owing to the low quality of the included documents,further discussion and learning were still needed.

Multi-centric Study on Clinical Epidemiology Is the Key Link in Treating Hypertension with Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine

General survey ofhypertension has beencarried out in our coun—try for three times.Thelast time was in 1999,with the result showingthat in our country theincidence of hyperten-sion among people over15 years old was11.26％.The incidencehas been raised by 25％

Clinical efficacy and significance of serum fibroblast growth factor-21 and ghrelin in the treatment of type 2 diabetes complicated with coronary heart disease with integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine

Objective: To treat the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with coronary heart disease, to explore the clinical efficacy and mechanism of conventional western medicine combined with Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue herbs, and to detect the level of serum fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21) and Ghrelin. Changes and significance. Methods: A randomized control method was used to collect 100 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with coronary heart disease who were diagnosed and treated in our hospital from March 2015 to March 2018.They were randomly divided into two groups according to the random number table method: 50 patients separately. The patients in the control group were treated with conventional western medicine and basic treatment;the observation group was treated with the addition and subtraction of traditional Chinese medicine formulas on the basis of the control group;the clinical curative effect was evaluated after two months of treatment, and the treatment efficiency and scores of traditional Chinese medicine symptoms were observed in the two groups. Basic laboratory indicators were improved, and serum levels of FGF-21 and Ghrelin in patients were measured and the difference between the results of the tests was compared with the condition and efficacy. Results: After treatment, the total effective rate of the observation group (86.0%) was significantly higher than that of the control group (68.0%) (P<0.05), suggesting that the combination of Chinese and Western medicine treatment can significantly improve the clinical efficacy;before treatment,there is no difference between the two groups of Chinese medicine symptom scores (P>0.05). After treatment, the symptom scores of the two groups were significantly improved after treatment (P<0.05). The observation group was better among the two groups (P<0.05).After treatment, the basic biochemical indicators were improved. The observation group was better than the control group (P<0.05);Serum FGF-21 levels were significantly lower in both groups after treatment (P<0.05), and Ghrelin levels were significantly increased. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: The use of conventional western medicine in combination with Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue Chinese medicine for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with coronary heart disease can significantly improve the clinical efficacy, effectively promote the improvement of symptoms, and can be used in clinical work through serum FGF-21, Ghrelin levels combined detection of the value of Abnormal changes to predict the severity of type 2 diabetes mellitus with coronary heart disease severity and treatment effect should be widely used in clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Progress in the treatment of ovarian cancer with traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine

Ovarian cancer is one of the female genital malignant tumors. Because its early clinical symptoms axe not obvious and there is no specific early diagnosis method, about 70% of patients are in advanced stage （stage III-IV） at the time of diagnosis. Ovarian cancer mortality is the highest in female reproductive system tumor. According to the 2017 edition of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network （NCCN） published in the ＂Ophthalmic Cancer Clinical Practice Guide＂, the main treatment plan is surgery-based, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and other comprehensive treatment. Ovarian cancer is similar to ＂Jia Ju＂ in traditional Chinese medicine. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine has been widely used in clinical practice. Postoperative patients with Chinese medicine, acupuncture, et al. promote rapid recovery, and traditional Chinese medical methods can also reduce the side effects caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Methods and New Developments in the Treatment of Hematological Diseases with Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine

Objective:To understand the methods and progress of integrated Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of hematological diseases,and to provide ideas for integrated Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of hematological diseases.Methods:Searching the CNKI,Wanfang and Weipu databases with"integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine","hematological disease",and"traditional Chinese medicine"as the key words,for related literature of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of hematological disease,screening and analyzing the literature.Results:After decades of development,the methods of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of hematological diseases have been developed from initial exploration to clinical practice,from wide application to recent progress.The combination methods include the combination of Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine,as well as the combination of Western medicine and non-medicine of traditional Chinese medicine.The combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine includes the combination of Chinese and Western medicine,sequential and alternate methods,etc.The combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of hematological diseases has significant effects in enhancing efficiency and reducing toxicity,improving the quality of life and prolonging the survival period.Conclusion:The combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine has obvious curative effect,high safety and various methods in treating hematologic diseases.

Application of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of juvenile localized scleroderma with skin ulcer: a case report

Background:Juvenile Localized Scleroderma(JLS)is a rare pediatric rheumatic disease characterized by inflammation and skin sclerosis.The side effect of consensus-recommended medications and the risk of disability posed challenges to the JLS treatment.We intend to demonstrate the potential of traditional Chinese medicine in treating JLS with skin ulcers and reducing the dose of glucocorticoid.Method:Here we report a case of a 13-year-old male with JLS who took oral methotrexate tablets of 10 mg/week and methylprednisolone of 6 mg/day for over six months without significant effect and suffered from skin ulcers on the dorsal feet one month after drug cessation.Subsequently,the patient was treated with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine of low-dose glucocorticosteroid,adjusted Shenqi Huoxue formula and Jinshe Xiaoyan formula,etc.Results:After integrated treatment,the patient’s dorsal feet ulcers healed and the skin sclerosis and hyperpigmentation improved significantly.Conclusions:This case report suggests that integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine can be used as an effective treatment for JLS.

Effects of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine on the vision recovery and serum trace elements of patients with herpes simplex keratitis

Objective:To explore the effects of integrated traditional Chinese and western Medicine on the vision recovery and serum trace elements in patients with herpes simplex keratitis.Methods:A total of 86 cases of HSK patients admitted in Baogang Hospital of Inner Mongolia from January 2015 to October 2016 were selected and divided randomly into the observation group(n=43)and the control group(n=43)according to the random number table.The control group was treated with ganciclovir eye drops and chondroitin sulfate eye drops,and the observation group was treated with Qinggan Mingmu Decoction on the basis of the control group.The 2 groups were treated for 4 weeks continuously.The clinical efficacy was compared between two groups.The vision recovery,serum trace elements and tear immune factor levels were also compared between two groups before and after treatment.Results:After treatment,the effective rate of treatment in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group(p<0.05);in the observation group of patients,visual analogue scale(VAS)score and visual acuity after treatment were obviously higher than those before treatment,and also remarkably higher than those in the control group of patients(p<0.05);after treatment,the levels of Fe,Ca and Cu ions in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group and before treatment(p<0.05);after treatment,the level of zinc ions in the serum in the observation group was significantly higher than that before treatment and in the control group(p<0.05);after treatment,the levels of tear IgA,IgG and C3 in the observation group were prominently higher than those before treatment and in the control group(p<0.05).Conclusions:In the treatment of HSK,integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine can promote effectively the vision recovery,regulate the level of trace elements in the serum and enhance the level of tear immune factors,with the clinical efficacy better than the treatment of western medicine alone.

Application of multidisciplinary team-based integrated traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine in rotator cuff injury patients undergoing arthroscopic surgery

BACKGROUND Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is a common surgical treatment for rotator cuff injuries(RCIs).Although this procedure has certain clinical advantages,it requires rehabilitation management interventions to ensure therapeutic efficacy.AIM To investigate the effect of integrated traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine(TCM-WM)under the multidisciplinary team(MDT)model on the postoperative recovery of patients undergoing arthroscopic surgery for RCIs.METHODS This study enrolled 100 patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair for RCIs at the Seventh People’s Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine between June 2021 and May 2024.They were divided into a control group(n=48)that received routine rehabilitation treatment and an experimental group(n=52)that received TCM-WM under the MDT model(e.g.,acupuncture,TCM traumatology and orthopedics,and rehabilitation).The results of the Constant–Murley Shoulder Score(CMS),Visual Analogue Scale(VAS),Shoulder Pain and Disability Index(SPADI),muscular strength evaluation,and shoulder range of motion(ROM)assessments were analyzed.RESULTS After treatment,the experimental group showed significantly higher CMS scores in terms of pain,functional activity,shoulder joint mobility,and muscular strength than the baseline and those of the control group.The experimental group also exhibited significantly lower VAS and SPADI scores than the baseline and those of the control group.In addition,the experimental group showed significantly enhanced muscular strength(forward flexor and external and internal rotator muscles)and shoulder ROM(forward flexion,abduction,and lateral abduction)after treatment compared with the control group.CONCLUSION TCM-WM under the MDT model improved shoulder joint function,relieved postoperative pain,promoted postoperative functional recovery,and facilitated the recovery of muscular strength and shoulder ROM in patients with RCIs who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Therapeutic Evaluation on Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Treated by Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine──Clinical Analysis of 56 Cases

Objective: In comparison with chemotherapy, to evaluate therapeutic effects on advanced pancreatic cancer treated by integrative Chinese and western medicine (ICWM) therapies. Methods: Based on the retrospective study of 56 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, life table was applied to the analysis of patients' survival rate and Xz test to the comparison of therapeutic response between ICWM and chemotherapy groups. Results: The results showed that 1-year survival rate in the ICWM group was 55. 37%±3.24%; 2-year survival rate 34. 61%±16. 31%; 3-year survival rate 25. 96%±24. 64%; 5-year survival rate 25. 96%±24.64%; and median survival period 16. 3 months. However 1-year survival rate in the chemotherapy group was 21. 95%±27. 54% ; 2-year survival rate 7. 31%±27. 54% ; 3-year survival rate 0 % ; and median survival period 7. 5 months. The therapeutic effects between two groups were significantly different (P=0. 004). Further analysis suggested that the reduction of cancer mass in the ICWM group was more than that in chemotherapy group (P=0.049) and the improvement of advanced pancreatic cancer related-symptoms better than that of chemotherapy group (P = 0. 002). Conclusion: The ICWM comprehensive therapy is of important value in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.

The effects and prospects of the integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine on andrology in China

Andrology has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） discussions concerning andropathies, and documentation of relevant therapeutic methods abound in the ancient literature on TCM. Integrated treatment combining TCM and Western medicine has seen both broad and in-depth development, with formidable status in the field of modern andrology in China. This article attempts to demonstrate the unique advantage of integrated treatment in the therapy of andropathies through a review of the ancient literature on andrology in the field of TCM and on the integrative treatment of prostatic diseases, sexual dysfunction, male infertility and late-onset hypogonadism. There is a need for the advancement of a medical theory that integrates TCM and Western medicine practices to create a new therapeutic system with standardized therapeutic and evaluative protocols for diseases involving male sexual health.

Research progress of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer

Gastric cancer(GC)is a malignant tumor originating from the gastric epithelium,and its incidence and mortality rates rank third among all malignant tumors worldwide.It is also one of the most common cancers in China and is treated predominantly by Western medicine in clinical practice.However,with the advancements in medical technology and informatics,the values of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in preventing and treating GC and improving prognosis have increasingly been recognized.According to TCM,clinical manifestations of GC can be divided into Yege(dysphagia),regurgitation,stomach pain,and Zhengxia(abdominal mass).Due to the unbalanced distribution of health care resources in China,most GC patients already have progressive or advanced-stage disease at the first diagnosis.As a result,most GC patients have poor physical function,and surgery or chemotherapy alone will aggravate the impairment to the immune function and seriously affect the quality of life.In contrast,TCM therapies have shown promising efficacy in the management of these patients.Here we review the role of the integrated TCM and Western medicine in treating advanced GC.

Effects of Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine on Arterial Oxygen Saturation in Patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Objective: To evaluate the effects of treatment of integrative Chinese and Western medicine (ICWM) on arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Methods:The non-randomized, controlled trial was conducted on 447 SARS patients treated synchronously with western conventional treatment (WM group, n = 171) alone and ICWM (ICWM group, n = 276). The changes of the cases with normal level (≥95% ) or abnormal level (<95% ) SaO2 were observed dynamically. Results: In the 3rd-14th day of the therapeutic course, the percentage of patients with normal SaO2 in the ICWM group was higher than that in the WM group (OR = 0.5178, P = 0.0038), and this tendency was more evident in patients of the severe type (OR = 0. 18, P = 0. 0001). However, the statistical significance of difference was only shown in patients for whom the ICWM treatment started in the early period after the onset (≤7 days after it, OR = 0.3803, P = 0.006), but not shown in those who received ICWM treatment later in the mid-late period of SARS ( P>0. 05). Conclusion: ICWM treatment, particularly when it is used for intervention in the early stage, is beneficial for maintaining normal SaO2 in SARS patients.

Effect of moxibustion combined with five‑element music therapy on postoperative pain relief after mixed hemorrhoid operation

Objective:To investigate the effect of moxibustion combined with five‑element music therapy on the postoperative pain relief of patients undergoing surgical operation for mixed hemorrhoid with damp‑heat syndrome.Methods:Totally,159 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were assigned to the control group,study group 1,and study group 2,with 53 cases in each group.All patients received routine care after surgical treatment,including acupoint application and Chinese herbal fumigation.In addition,patients in the study group 1 received moxibustion,and those in the study group 2 were given moxibustion combined with five‑element music therapy.The degree of postoperative pain was evaluated using visual analog scale(VAS).Results:There was no significant difference in VAS score on pain during dressing changes among three groups(P>0.05).After 3,5,and 7 days of intervention,there was a significant difference in VAS score on pain at rest among three groups(P<0.001),and VAS score in the study group 2 was lower than that in the study group 1 and the control group after 3 and 5 days of intervention,respectively(P<0.05).Conclusion:Moxibustion combined with five‑element music therapy is effective to relieve the postoperative pain of patients undergoing a surgical operation for mixed hemorrhoids with damp‑heat syndrome.

Evidence-based Clinical Chinese Medicine:What Has Changed Over the Past 20 Years

Chinese medicine has been used for centuries to treat a range of health conditions.This history has produced a wealth of classical literature,case studies and clinical research data detailing its use and effectiveness.However,high-quality and conclusive evidence that meets modern requirements for clinical decision support is lacking.This evidence gap limits the integration of Chinese medicine with contemporary medicine,which in turn limits global access and acceptance of Chinese medicine as a form of safe and effective health care.Over the past 20 years,researchers and organisations around the world,including the World Health Organization(WHO)and United Nations,have worked to support the integration of traditional medicines,such as Chinese medicine,with conventional medicines to improve global health care.This paper provides an overview of Chinese medicine studies published in the top four general medical journals(BMJ,JAMA,Lancet and New England Journal of Medicine)from February 2005 to February 2024 in the past 20 years to highlight the progress in the development of this evidence base.It also highlights key actions taken to promote evidence-based clinical Chinese medicine,including product and practitioner regulation,formalising education standards,and international collaborations.Research conducted at the China-Australia International Research Centre for Chinese Medicine demonstrates the benefits of such a collaboration.Through development of its unique and inclusive‘whole-evidence’approach,plus clinical studies and systematic reviews,the Centre has significantly contributed to the evidence base for clinical Chinese medicine.In addition,its high-impact papers and groundbreaking monographs have been cited in international conventional medicine guidelines.While progress has certainly been made during the past 20 years to build a stronger evidence base for clinical Chinese medicine,there is still a considerable gap that limits its integration with conventional medicine.Future funding and research are needed to continue this work and achieve to safe,effective and accessible traditional medicine as part of the WHO’s Universal Health Coverage strategy.