Narrow Results

During the SARS crisis in China, 40–60% infected patients, at some stages of their treatment, received Chinese medicine treatment on top of the standard modern medicine treatment. This practice was endorsed and encouraged by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and some details of the herbal treatment were recommended. A review of the publications during and after the SARS crisis enabled us to get an objective view of the true value of the adjuvant therapy using Chinese medicinal herbs. Of the 130 articles searched, 90 were of reasonable quality and contained sufficient information for the enlightenment of the situation. These were reviewed. The results revealed positive but inconclusive indications about the efficacy of the combined treatments using Chinese medicine as an adjuvant. Positive effects using adjuvant herbal therapy included better control of fever, quicker clearance of chest infection, lesser consumption of steroids and other symptoms relief. In a few reports, some evidences of immunological boosterings were also found. More caution is required on the allegation about the efficacy of herbal medicine for the treatment or prevention of viral infection affecting the respiratory tract, while more clinical studies are indicated.

AUSTRALIA – First iPS Cell Line Puts Australia in the Lead of Stem Cell Research.

AUSTRALIA – New Treatment Hope for Prostate Cancer.

CHINA – AIDS Is China's Top Killer Among Infectious Diseases.

CHINA – Anti-bird Flu Drug for Human Clinical Trial Approved by China.

CHINA – China Plans 120 Billion Dollar Health Reform By 2011.

CHINA – 13 000 Fowl Culled in China After Bird flu.

CHINA – China-Russia Joint Research Center.

CHINA – Pig's Adult Stem Cells Produce Better Skins.

CHINA – More Health Scares Amid Slowdown, Warns China.

INDIA – Indian Experts Find Bacteria to Beat Global Heat.

INDIA – Two Indian Firms to set up Pre-clinical Trial Units in Malaysia.

JAPAN – Breakthrough in Universal Flu Vaccine Development.

SINGAPORE – Taiwan Pork Banned by AVA.

SINGAPORE – Stem-Cell Treatment For Joint Pain Gives New Hope.

SINGAPORE – Next Generation Healthcare Information System.

SINGAPORE – Top US University Sets up Research Centre in Singapore.

SINGAPORE – Increase in Life-saving Umbilical Cord Donations.

SINGAPORE – Singapore and China Scientists Report Breakthrough Research in Psoriasis.

SOUTH KOREA – Harmful Bacteria in French Baby Formula.

SOUTH KOREA – World's First Cloned Wolves to Test Reproductive Fitness.

TAIWAN – Genetic Testing on the Rise.

TAIWAN – Chinese Herbal Medicines Contain Western Drug Ingredients.

VIETNAM – Bird Flu Strikes in Five Provinces in Vietnam.

VIETNAM – Opening of Vietnam's First Stem Cell Bank, "MekoStem".

VIETNAM – Hanoi Suffers Worst Measles Outbreak in Decade.

OTHER REGIONS — EUROPE – Social Networking = Disease?

OTHER REGIONS — EUROPE – Cancer Morbidity 'to Double in 40 Years'.

OTHER REGIONS — NORTH AMERICA – Scientists Close in on 'Universal' Vaccine for Flu.

OTHER REGIONS — NORTH AMERICA – Hong Kong and US Scientists Develop New Bird Flu Vaccine.

ASIA – Gene mutation discovered to cause severe growth retardation in newly discovered disease.

ASIA – Singapore scientists make major breakthrough to treat fibrotic diseases that cause organ impairment and failure.

ASIA – DcR3 is the key factor of endometriosis.

ASIA – Singapore Volition signs MOU with National Taiwan University to conduct two large clinical studies.

EUROPE & CIS – NPL relaunches to accelerate access to new health innovations.

EUROPE & CIS – The hard truth about Eczema: It’s something in the water.

EUROPE & CIS – Gastric acid suppressant lansoprazole may target tuberculosis.

EUROPE & CIS – Long-term aspirin use reduces incidence of digestive cancers by up to 47 per cent.

AMERICAS – Rockefeller University biologist Michael W. Young honored with Nobel Prize for pioneering studies on circadian rhythm.

AMERICAS – Ohio physicians contribute to groundbreaking stroke research.

AMERICAS – A poorly explored immune cell may impact cancer immunity and immunotherapy.

AMERICAS – Superbugs have a new foe.

AMERICAS – Approved drug or herbal treatment: How to choose?