The investigation on evidence support of proprietary Chinese medicine in 2015 National List of Essential Medicines

Article type
Year
Authors
Wang B1, Li P1, Zhang L1, Li L2, Deng W3, Chen Y1
1School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, China
2First Medical College, Lanzhou University, China
3Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, China
Abstract
Background: As one of the basic means for guiding clinical medication, the National List of Essential Medicines provides guidance for clinical physicians about the ways to take medicine. The 2015 National List of Essential Medicines contains 184 kinds of proprietary Chinese medicine, which accounts for 37.2% of all essential medicines. However, the situation of these proprietary Chinese medicine in the clinical guidelines is unclear.

Objectives: To investigate the situation of the proprietary Chinese medicines in the 2015 National List of Essential Medicines in the clinical guidelines.

Methods:
1. Analyze the classification of proprietary Chinese medicines and listing indications in 2015 National List of Essential Medicines.
2. Search CNKI, WANFANG DATA, CBM for clinical practice guidelines which were published in Chinese periodicals.
3. Look up relevant clinical practice guidelines, and analyze the situation of these proprietary Chinese medicines in clinical practice guidelines.
All processes were completed independently by two researchers and then checked reciprocally. When meeting non-conformity, we would discuss or consult the third researcher.

Results: The 2015 National List of Essential Medicines contains 184 kinds of proprietary Chinese medicines for treating 54 diseases. The results of the database retrieval contained 248 themes and 425 Chinese clinical practice guidelines. According to the results, only 34 (18.48%) kinds of proprietary Chinese medicines are recommended in the guidelines, and these are recommended 89 times. The five most frequently recommended medicines are: Shengmaiyin (nine times, 10.11%), Qingkailing injection (seven times, 7.87%), Huoxiang Zhengqi (six times, 6.74%), Liuwei Dihuang Wan (five times,5.62%) and Xuefu Zhuyu Wan (five times, 5.62%). The top two proprietary Chinese medicines that correspond with clinical practice guidelines theme are Huoxiang Zhengqi (six times, 6.74%) and Liuwei Dihuang Wan (five times, 5.62%).

Conclusions: Only a minority of the proprietary Chinese medicines in the National List of Essential Medicines were recommended in relevant themed guidelines.