TCM Research Surges with 10.6% Annual Growth as Emerging Interdisciplinary Fields Like Herbal Pharmacology and Network Pharmacology Rise Rapidly

Recently, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) and Elsevier, a scientific information analytics company, jointly released the global research analysis report titled “Inheritance and Innovation: Decoding the Scientific Development Trajectory of Traditional Chinese Medicine.” This report is the first to comprehensively present the global development trends and modernization process of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) research using scientific indicators and systematic methods. Covering more than 200,000 TCM-related publications worldwide from 2014 to 2023, the report uses data to accurately reflect the international standing and contributions of mainland China and Hong Kong in TCM scientific research.

“Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has, in fact, exerted a significant impact on the international stage—demonstrating considerable global influence in terms of both the quantity and quality of research outputs, as well as contributions to academia, society, and patents,” pointed out Professor Lu Aiping, Vice President (Research and Development) and Dean of the Graduate School at Hong Kong Baptist University.

Interdisciplinary Integration Is Becoming the Core Driver of the Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine. From basic mechanistic research to clinical validation, from the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies to deep cross-disciplinary engagement with core fields such as pharmacology and molecular biology, and from the optimization of scientific evaluation systems to regional collaboration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, cross-disciplinary teams are breaking down disciplinary and geographical barriers. These efforts are propelling TCM research into a new, more systematic and internationalized stage, accelerating the translation of scientific achievements from the laboratory to the market, and expanding new possibilities for TCM in the realms of precision medicine and novel drug development.

However, to truly integrate into the global mainstream healthcare system, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) must still overcome multiple hurdles: the accumulation of high-quality clinical trials, a rigorous and traceable quality control system, complex and evolving international regulatory standards, and acceptance and dissemination across cultural contexts are all critical industry pain points that urgently need to be addressed.

“Looking ahead, the most ideal blueprint is one we create ourselves. Going global and engaging in international cooperation and cross-regional collaboration is a critical step for the development of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). As our data systems become more robust, we will welcome greater collaboration and opportunities on the global stage. The future holds great promise,” said Mu Jingwen, Director of Institutional Research and Planning at Hong Kong Baptist University.

A Decade of Leaps

The Landscape of Traditional Chinese Medicine Research from a Global Perspective

From a global perspective, the research landscape of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) reveals that “inheritance” and “innovation” are synergistically forming the main theme of its development.

The report reviews scientific literature from 2014 to 2023, starting with the definition of the field and outlining a clear development trajectory on a decade-long timescale.

Zhou Yingying, Head of Elsevier Research Analytics Services in China, pointed out that over the past decade, research output in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown a sustained upward trend, with a compound annual growth rate as high as 10.6%. Since 2022, more than 30,000 TCM-related papers have been published globally each year, with a growth rate significantly higher than the average level of global medical research output during the same period.

Moreover, TCM research has also demonstrated strong academic influence. The proportion of highly cited papers reached 14.2%, and the Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) was 1.12, exceeding the global average of 1 for overall research.

“Among them, mainland China holds an absolute dominance in scientific research output on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The United States, the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions of China, South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and other regions are also actively involved, demonstrating robust output and outstanding performance. Although the number of scholars in the Hong Kong and Macao SARs is lower than that in mainland China, they exhibit exceptionally high research efficiency and impact in terms of per capita output and the proportion of highly cited papers,” added Zhou Yingying.

“A Decade of Dedication: The Strong Policy Support Behind the Momentum of Modern TCM Research in Its Globalization”

In March 2025, the General Office of the State Council issued the "Opinions on Enhancing the Quality of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to Promote High-Quality Development of the TCM Industry," explicitly proposing to build a modern TCM industrial system with a rational structure, assured quality, and strong competitiveness, based on improving TCM quality, supported by technological innovation, and safeguarded by institutional and mechanistic reforms. The policy covers the protection and standardized development of TCM resources, the construction of TCM standard systems and digitalization, and the reform of regulatory systems, while ensuring continuous improvement in technology and quality as well as stable development of the TCM industry through talent cultivation and financial support.

Previously, the "14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine" clearly pointed out that it is necessary to promote the deep integration of traditional Chinese medicine with modern science, promote the complementary and coordinated development of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, accelerate the pace of modernization and industrialization of traditional Chinese medicine, support its high-quality development and going global, and provide strong support for building a healthy China and safeguarding people's health.

Lu Aiping further pointed out that, in addition to mainland China, policy support and research projects in the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions as well as in some European and American countries have also provided solid support for the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine research.

“As global exploration of pathways for pharmaceutical innovation continues, and as modern medicine encounters bottlenecks in certain areas, the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) research and international collaboration may become an emerging focus and entry point for a growing number of scientists,” said Lü Aiping.

Research hotspots continue to evolve over time.

Data show that from 2014 to 2018, traditional topics such as auricular therapy, ginseng research, and Tai Chi ranked among the most productive fields; however, during 2019–2023, although these traditional topics remained active, their rankings declined.

Meanwhile, emerging interdisciplinary fields such as “herbal pharmaceuticals” and “network pharmacology” are rising rapidly; research related to the COVID-19 pandemic has also surged, driven by public health emergencies. This shift clearly demonstrates that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), while consolidating its traditional strengths, is continuously integrating modern scientific and technological achievements and proactively responding to global public health needs.

Thanks to the booming development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) research, its influence has long transcended the boundaries of the academic community.

Data shows that approximately 11% of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) literature has been mentioned on international social media platforms. In other words, TCM research achievements are resonating with the public, and their influence has extended into broader domains such as public opinion, industrial layout, and public policy-making.

Breaking Boundaries

Traditional Chinese Medicine Embarks on an Interdisciplinary Development Path

Notably, as research into Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) enters a new era, its positioning has transcended the traditional scope of “Complementary and Alternative Medicine” (CAM). It is increasingly penetrating core disciplines in medicine and life sciences, including oncology, immunology, biochemical genetics, and molecular biology, demonstrating a trend toward deep interdisciplinary integration.

Taking oncology research as an example, there has been a significant increase in both clinical and basic studies on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in areas such as tumor immunomodulation, remodeling of the tumor microenvironment, and combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Related literature is evolving from focusing solely on mechanisms of action toward large-sample studies that integrate mechanistic insights with clinical translation. This trend not only provides a robust empirical foundation for the scientific validation of TCM but also opens new avenues for its industrialization and clinical translation.

Lu Aiping pointed out that although the research priorities in the two phases over the past decade have differed, interdisciplinary integration has always been a key pathway for the development of scientific research in traditional Chinese medicine.

Cross-disciplinary integration is not merely an accelerator, but also an engine for innovation. Lu Aiping further explained: “The human body system is extremely complex. We possess thousands of years of clinical experience and a vast accumulation of classic literature in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), all directed toward the shared goal of human health. In the future, TCM research should be driven by TCM as its core, integrating Western biomedical sciences and data science, while leveraging artificial intelligence to build cognitive bridges. This will enable us to ‘stand taller’ and capture more complex networks of associations.”

Relevant studies indicate that recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping the research paradigm for multi-metabolite interactions in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) technologies have matured to a level where they can decipher the complex relationships between active metabolites and multiple targets. AI’s unique advantages in processing large-scale data, identifying complex patterns, and integrating multidimensional datasets make it an indispensable tool in TCM research. ML excels at identifying potential interaction patterns from massive datasets, while DL captures the intricate relationships between active metabolites and their multiple targets by automatically learning high-order features.

However, to translate this interdisciplinary potential into a sustainable ecosystem for scientific research and industry, simultaneous upgrades in mechanisms and structures are required.

On one hand, the research evaluation system should be shifted from emphasizing individual achievements to encouraging interdisciplinary team collaboration. Current academic evaluations often prioritize individual scholarly caliber and the influence of principal investigators; however, to truly stimulate the vitality and innovative capacity of interdisciplinary cooperation, greater emphasis should be placed on the academic impact of teamwork and interdisciplinary innovation.

“Addressing human health challenges is by no means a task for a single discipline. We should focus on major challenges affecting public health, distill key interdisciplinary issues, and form research teams that integrate expertise from traditional Chinese medicine, digital health, exercise science, and other fields to conduct concentrated breakthroughs,” emphasized Mu Jingwen.

On the other hand, regional collaboration is also a key driver. The report shows that Hong Kong and Macao outperform mainland China in terms of international collaboration rates and academic impact (as measured by FWCI).

In this regard, Mou Jingwen suggests promoting collaborative innovation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area by forging partnerships among universities, government bodies, and local research institutions. For instance, the “1+1+1” seed fund model jointly established by Hong Kong Baptist University, the Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology, and the university’s Zhuhai Campus can effectively integrate the advantageous resources of research teams across different regions, thereby creating synergistic collaborative efforts.

In fact, as early as 2022, the “Several Opinions on Deepening the Construction of World-Class Universities and First-Class Disciplines,” jointly issued by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, and the National Development and Reform Commission, explicitly proposed to “break down disciplinary and professional barriers, promote the interdisciplinary integration of natural sciences with humanities and social sciences, and cultivate emerging interdisciplinary fields centered on areas such as artificial intelligence and national governance.”

The industry perspective is also accelerating this process. The Chinese market and regulatory environment are increasingly receptive to innovative traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) drugs, while optimizations in clinical trial and drug approval processes have enabled more new drug development projects based on TCM theories and modernization initiatives for TCM formulations to enter the industrialization track.

Meanwhile, collaborations and licensing deals between global pharmaceutical giants and Chinese biopharmaceutical companies are becoming increasingly frequent. Multinational pharmaceutical firms have shown significantly heightened interest in China’s early-stage innovative assets, thereby providing capital support and internationalization pathways for the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Looking ahead, Lü Aiping believes that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) holds significant potential to drive advances in precision medicine and new drug development: “When traditional Chinese medicine achieves deep integration with life sciences and data science, it may give rise to entirely new medical paradigms. These could include more refined health stratification, novel diagnostic and therapeutic systems, combinatorial translation of multi-component herbal formulas, and even the emergence of new drug modalities. Such developments are likely to become frontier directions for the cross-disciplinary integration of TCM.”

Market "High Walls"

How Traditional Chinese Medicine Is Knocking on the Door of the International Pharmaceutical Market

As global interest in natural therapies and traditional medicine experiences a resurgence, the “global expansion of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)” has transformed from a cultural symbol into a tangible industrial imperative.

However, the existence of a “potential market” does not mean it is “easy to penetrate.”

Traditional Chinese Medicine Enterprises Have Been Attempting to Open the Door to International Regulation for Nearly Three Decades.

During this period, more than ten Chinese traditional medicine enterprises have had their products approved by the U.S. FDA for clinical trials; however, to date, no traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has successfully obtained FDA approval and been marketed as a “drug.” Only three TCM formulations have advanced to Phase III clinical trials: Tasly’s Compound Danshen Dripping Pills, Xingling Technology’s Xingling Granules, and Hutchison Medipharma’s HMPL-004. [LW1]

Lu Aiping frankly stated that the largest market for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) remains confined to mainland China, adding that “it is imperative to truly go global and expand into international markets.”

Lu Aiping further pointed out that there are structural barriers to the appeal of mainland Chinese traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in overseas markets—many products sold domestically under the name of “TCM” or “Chinese herbal medicines” are essentially health supplements or food additives; if they truly wish to enter stringent medical systems, such products still face significant challenges.

Industry and regulatory practices have continually demonstrated that entry into mainstream medical pathways in Europe and the United States requires support from high-quality, evidence-based studies characterized by randomized controlled designs, reproducibility, and multicenter participation.

Therefore, high-quality clinical studies are a key link in the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine.

Lu Aiping emphasized, “Only through high-level, high-quality clinical studies can the efficacy of interventions—whether traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, or other non-pharmacological therapies—be established, and through repeated validation, become part of global clinical practice guidelines.”

The inherent characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), namely its complex composition and significant batch-to-batch variability, make quality control a top priority in international regulatory reviews. Therefore, any intervention involving TCM must achieve utmost precision in quality standards and batch consistency, and even elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action.

Meanwhile, in the face of the complexity of international regulatory systems, Lv Aiping pointed out that companies must fully understand the rules themselves. At the same time, with market expansion, it is necessary to implement, item by item, a full-chain pathway covering everything from technology and details to standards.

For example, the European Union introduced a simplified registration procedure for “traditional herbal medicines” in 2004, but with stringent requirements (typically requiring at least 30 years of traditional use, including 15 years within the EU). If companies wish to enter the EU or US market as therapeutic drugs, they must choose the conventional drug registration pathway, thereby assuming full responsibilities for pharmacological, toxicological, and randomized controlled clinical trial requirements.

“This process is, in essence, a form of international collaboration,” said Lü Aiping. “If we seek FDA or European Union approval, we must conduct joint R&D and regulatory registration with U.S. or European partners who are well-versed in these regulatory systems.”

Furthermore, even if a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) product has been rigorously validated to demonstrate significant efficacy, its international promotion will still face resistance if its dosage form, administration methods, or TCM diagnostic and treatment logic are severely misaligned with the practices of doctors and patients in the target country. Therefore, from a cultural perspective, fostering cultural acceptance of TCM is equally important.

Lu Aiping frankly stated that no matter how outstanding the efficacy of a compound formula may be, its promotion will ultimately be limited if overseas users find it difficult to accept due to cultural differences. Therefore, in addition to scientific communication, cultural recognition must be simultaneously established to ensure that traditional Chinese medicine truly takes root and gains acceptance.

The Modernization and Internationalization of Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Scientific Marathon and a Transoceanic Cultural DialogueThe journey toward the modernization and internationalization of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is both a marathon of scientific exploration and a transoceanic voyage of cultural dialogue. From the laboratory to the clinic, from local markets to the global stage, and from ancient wisdom to cutting-edge technology, TCM stands at a critical juncture of “inheritance and reinvention.” The next phase will entail a comprehensive contest of cross-disciplinary integration capabilities, technological prowess, adaptability to international regulations, and global competitiveness.

Future challenges may still loom like towering mountain ranges, yet as the data reveals: on the dual tracks of heritage and innovation, Traditional Chinese Medicine is crafting its own narrative of globalization.