The Seventh Beijing Forum on Evidence-Based Medicine and the 2026 eCMTA Journal Academic Symposium, held October 19–20 at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), brought together 28 experts from 14 countries and regions to confront a central question: how can traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) be evaluated with the same scientific rigor applied to conventional treatments? The gathering matters because it signals a sustained international effort to move TCM beyond anecdotal success stories toward evidence that can inform clinical practice and public health policy.
Co-hosted by BUCM's Center for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine and the Journal Center, the forum coincided with BUCM's 70th anniversary. Vice President Liu Cunzhi noted the university's long-standing promotion of TCM–evidence-based medicine integration and expressed hope that the forum would strengthen international exchange and resource sharing. The presence of Gordon Guyatt, a founder of evidence-based medicine and professor at McMaster University, underscored the forum's seriousness. In his keynote, Guyatt emphasized that evidence varies in reliability and that high-quality decisions require systematic appraisal while accounting for patients' values and preferences.
Other speakers tackled the methodological and philosophical challenges head-on. Nicola Robinson of London South Bank University asked "What Counts as Evidence?" and stressed that trust requires rigorous research into real effects and risks, not individual success stories or personal impressions. Lao Lixing, President of Virginia University of Integrative Medicine, discussed methodology and challenges in Chinese herbal medicine trials. Dennis Chang of Western Sydney University reviewed global trends in evidence-based integrative medicine, while Terje Alræk shared research on acupuncture for cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients. These presentations reflect a maturing field that is increasingly willing to subject traditional practices to controlled scrutiny.
The forum also addressed artificial intelligence and the translation of evidence into clinical practice guidelines. Pan Yanshu, Director of the Journal Center, framed the stakes clearly: evidence-based medicine is not tradition versus modernity but a way to test traditional medicine's clinical value through modern science. She expected eCMTA to gather high-quality evidence and promote international dissemination of TCM research. The eCMTA Journal Academic Symposium further advanced this mission, with co-editor-in-chief Nicola Robinson reporting on the journal's development, column adjustments, board responsibilities and international influence. The journal is actively soliciting submissions through its manuscript submission portal, and until December 31, 2027, it will waive article processing charges, with appropriate rewards for outstanding manuscripts.
The implications extend beyond academic exchange. By creating a platform for experts from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Canada, the UK, the US, Australia, Norway and elsewhere, the forum lays groundwork for international research collaboration and shared standards. A young scholars' session gave early-career researchers a venue to present work on clinical research, evidence evaluation, acupuncture efficacy and guideline development. As the journal continues to build its international profile, detailed information is available at the journal's SciOpen page. If the forum's ambitions are realized, the clinical value of TCM will be more scientifically understood, providing stronger support for healthcare quality and public health worldwide.
