A Trial to Combine the Kampo and Western Medicine to Improve the Medical Practice / 日本東洋医学雑誌

ABSTRACT

The modern medicine in Japan made a remarkable progress according to development of Western medicine and further studies made it possible to understand almost of all diseases as cell and gene abnormalities using scientific approach such as imaging diagnosis or blood biochemistry. Kampo medicine, on the other hand, developed especially in Japan and is defined as holistic medicine because many diseases can be induced by responses of whole body against various causes instead of cell or organ abnormalities.<br>Recently EBM (Evidence based medicine) is required in the clinical field.<br>Though the evidence cannot be obtained easily in the clinical field, the concept of EBM seems to be important in achieving clinical practice even from the stand view point of cost-benefit and many trials began to accept this EBM in the field of Western medicine.<br>On the other hand, usefulness of Kampo medicine on various diseases was elucidated by means of Western analysis such as double blind test and the “Shou”, unique diagnostic method for Kampo medicine, turned out not to be necessary in all cases for the best treatment. Doctors engaging in Kampo medicine began to change their attitude to accept EBM by their newly considered method including conventional “Shou”<br>Both medicines, Western and Kampo medicine, have various features and merits or demerits for the treatment of diseases respectively. Therefore, a trial to combine Kampo and Western medicine should be taken into consideration, to improve the clinical practice.