Experts from 14 countries and regions gathered at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM) for the Seventh Beijing Forum on Evidence-Based Medicine and the 2026 eCMTA Journal Academic Symposium, co-hosted by BUCM's Center for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine and the Journal Center. The two-day event, held October 19–20, brought together 28 specialists to discuss how reliable evidence can support high-quality development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and serve clinical practice and public health. The forum matters because it signals a sustained international effort to subject TCM to the same standards of scientific scrutiny as conventional medicine, a shift that could reshape how traditional therapies are evaluated, regulated and integrated into global healthcare systems.
Evidence-based medicine emphasizes combining clinical experience, reliable research evidence and patients' needs and preferences. In his keynote, Gordon Guyatt, a founder of evidence-based medicine and professor at McMaster University, noted that evidence varies in reliability; high-quality decisions require scientific appraisal and systematic summaries of evidence while considering patients' values and preferences. Nicola Robinson of London South Bank University addressed 'What Counts as Evidence?', stressing that trust requires rigorous research into real effects and risks, not just individual success stories or personal impressions. Their remarks underscore a central implication of the forum: the credibility of TCM on the world stage will depend less on tradition and more on transparent, reproducible evidence.
The program featured keynotes, a young scholars' session and international roundtables on evidence evaluation, TCM clinical research methods and international cooperation. Lao Lixing, President of Virginia University of Integrative Medicine, discussed methodology and challenges in Chinese herbal medicine trials; Dennis Chang of Western Sydney University reviewed global trends in evidence-based integrative medicine; and Terje Alræk shared research on acupuncture for cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients. These presentations highlight the practical stakes: robust trial design and systematic evaluation are essential for translating TCM findings into usable clinical guidance.
Coinciding with BUCM's 70th anniversary, Vice President Liu Cunzhi said the university has long promoted TCM–evidence-based medicine integration and hoped the forum would strengthen international exchange and resource sharing. Pan Yanshu, director of the Journal Center, said evidence-based medicine is not tradition versus modernity but a way to test traditional medicine's clinical value through modern science. She expected eCMTA to gather high-quality evidence and promote international dissemination of TCM research. The eCMTA Journal Academic Symposium further advanced this mission, with co-editor-in-chief Liu Jianping welcoming participants and Robinson reporting on the journal's development, column adjustments, board responsibilities and international influence since its launch. Manuscripts can be submitted via https://mc03.manuscriptcentral.com/ecmta, and the journal's progress is documented at https://www.sciopen.com/journal/3078-7963.
The forum's broader significance lies in its effort to build a shared international framework for evaluating traditional medicine. By strengthening high-quality clinical research, promoting the translation of scientific evidence and deepening academic cooperation, the initiative aims to make TCM's clinical value more scientifically understood, providing greater support for improving healthcare quality and public health. For a field often criticized for anecdotal support, the commitment to rigorous evidence evaluation and international collaboration represents a meaningful step toward broader acceptance and responsible integration.
