Haematology

The Department of Hematology of Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, affiliated with Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, was founded in 1984 and is one of the earliest specialized departments for hematological diseases in China established on the basis of traditional Chinese medicine or integrated Chinese-Western medicine. During more than 30 years of development, the department was successively designated a Clinical Key Specialty of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine under the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Five-Year Plans, a National Clinical Key Specialty of the Ministry of Health in the TCM specialty, a Key Discipline of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and a Clinical Key Specialty of Shanghai under the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan. To date, the Department of Hematology of Yueyang Hospital remains Shanghai’s only national-level key specialty and key discipline in TCM hematology.

Building on the inheritance of the essence of traditional Chinese medicine theory and practice in hematological diseases, the Department of Hematology of Yueyang Hospital adheres to the fundamentals while pursuing innovation. By combining traditional and modern approaches, as well as syndrome differentiation with disease differentiation, it has established a TCM hematology diagnosis and treatment system guided by pattern differentiation and treatment, together with relatively complete standards for the diagnosis and treatment of hematological diseases using integrated Chinese-Western medicine, thereby effectively improving the quality of medical care and clinical efficacy. Using traditional Chinese medicine as the primary approach and integrated Chinese-Western methods, the department has achieved good results in treating various anemic diseases, hemorrhagic diseases, hematologic neoplastic diseases, and other conditions. In particular, four treatment approaches have distinctive efficacy: treatment of immune thrombocytopenia with the method of strengthening the spleen, supplementing the kidney, and purging fire; treatment of aplastic anemia with the method of strengthening the spleen, supplementing the kidney, and activating the blood; treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome with the method of strengthening the spleen, supplementing the kidney, and detoxifying; and treatment of acute leukemia in older adults with a micro-chemotherapy regimen to support healthy qi and eliminate pathogenic factors. As the lead institution of the Purpura Disease Group under a key specialty of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the department led the formulation of the national “Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Purpura Disease (Immune Thrombocytopenia)” and the “Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Pathway for Purpura Disease (Immune Thrombocytopenia).” It has developed 15 distinctive traditional Chinese medicine preparations, including “Shengxueling,” “Shengxue Mixture,” “Zaoxue Zaisheng Tablets,” “Ningxue Luo Tablets,” and “Dingqing Tablets.” These preparations have good efficacy, are safe and nontoxic, are convenient to take, and enjoy a strong reputation in China and abroad. The specialty sees more than 50,000 outpatient visits and discharges more than 2,000 inpatients annually; its patients come from all parts of China and from some countries overseas.

Appendix: Overview of the Department’s Academic Standing

National Clinical Key Specialty (TCM specialty)

Tenth Five-Year Plan Key Specialty of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (there are only 3 nationwide in the TCM hematology specialty)

Lead institution of the Purpura Disease Collaborative Group under the Key Specialty of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Eleventh and Twelfth Five-Year Plans

Key Discipline in Hematology of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine

First-batch Clinical Pharmacology Research Base

Continuing Education Base for Advantageous Traditional Chinese Medicine Disciplines of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Huang Zhenqiao National Famous Veteran Traditional Chinese Medicine Physician Studio

Shanghai Specialty with Distinctive Characteristics in Traditional Chinese Medicine Hematology

Shanghai Medical Collaboration Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Hematologic Diseases

Zhou Yongming Shanghai Famous Traditional Chinese Medicine Physician Studio

Shanghai Training Base for Traditional Chinese Medicine Hematology Specialists (the only one in Shanghai)

Advantageous Discipline of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

First-batch A-level Specialty of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Master’s and doctoral degree-granting site of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; postdoctoral research station

Famous Traditional Chinese Medicine Physician Studio of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Founding institution of the Hematology Professional Committee of the China Association of Chinese Medicine

Institution of the Honorary Chairperson of the Hematology Branch of the China Association of Chinese Medicine

Institution of the Incumbent Vice Chairperson of the Hematology Branch of the China Association of Chinese Medicine

Institution of the Incumbent Vice Chairperson of the Hematology Professional Committee of the Chinese Association of Integrative Medicine

Institution of the Incumbent Vice President of the Hematology Branch of the China Association of Ethnic Medicine

Institution of the Incumbent Vice President of the Hematology Branch of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies

Institution of the Honorary Chairperson of the Hematology Branch of the Shanghai Association of Chinese Medicine

Institution of the Incumbent Chairperson of the Hematology Professional Committee of the Shanghai Association of Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine