中医药“出海”亟须破解“有医缺药”难题

Core Insights - The global expansion of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has accelerated, reaching over 190 countries, but the export of Chinese herbal products has been declining due to high registration barriers and translation issues [1][2][3] Group 1: Export Trends - The total export value of Chinese herbal products peaked at $5.69 billion in 2022 but has since decreased to $5.28 billion in 2024, with a further decline of 5.6% in the first half of 2025 [2] - Despite an increase in the export volume of plant extracts like menthol and citrus essential oils, the total export value has dropped by 7.7% in 2024 [2] - The export value of proprietary Chinese medicines has not exceeded 10% of the total herbal product exports in recent years [2] Group 2: Challenges in International Markets - The high costs associated with registering and selling TCM products overseas, along with the instability of global supply chains, have dampened companies' enthusiasm for entering foreign markets [3] - Regulatory requirements in foreign countries often necessitate the disclosure of proprietary formulations, leading to the abandonment of potentially lucrative markets [3] - The lack of available herbal products in overseas markets has resulted in a situation where TCM practitioners can only offer acupuncture and massage, limiting the full expression of TCM's benefits [3][4] Group 3: Regulatory and Translation Issues - Differences in the translation of herbal materials between Chinese and foreign pharmacopoeias create significant barriers to market entry, with about 20% of herbal materials having inconsistent translations [6] - Many herbal products are classified as dietary supplements in international markets, which diminishes their competitiveness as pharmaceuticals [7] - The lack of integration with local traditional medicine practices in foreign markets poses additional challenges for TCM's acceptance and effectiveness [7] Group 4: Strategies for Improvement - The Chinese government has been enhancing international cooperation frameworks to support TCM's global outreach, including signing agreements with over 40 foreign governments [5][8] - Experts suggest that TCM should adapt to local cultural contexts and market demands, emphasizing the need for collaboration with local institutions [8][9] - There is a call for the standardization of herbal material translations and the inclusion of more TCM products in international pharmacopoeias to facilitate smoother market entry [8]