The construction of standardization is of great significance for the inheritance and development of traditional Chinese medicine. There are over 3000 traditional Chinese medicine standards in our country. On July 31st, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine released the "Action Plan for Standardization of Traditional Chinese Medicine (2024-2026)", deploying 20 specific tasks and 25 column tasks to further "upgrade" the existing standard system, providing strong support for promoting the modernization and industrialization of traditional Chinese medicine and promoting its high-quality development. What are the highlights of this upgraded version plan? ——Demand-oriented, standards need to keep up. Develop 20 health intervention guidelines for key populations such as the elderly, women and children, children, and adolescents, and develop intelligent equipment standards for traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases... The action plan targets the health needs of the people in the new era, deploys and strengthens the supply of traditional Chinese medicine standards in key areas, and proposes the completion of 180 domestic standards and 30 international standards for traditional Chinese medicine. ——Quality first, cutting-edge technology. Accelerate the interactive development of traditional Chinese medicine standards and new scientific technologies such as artificial intelligence, and carry out digital pilot projects for standards... The action plan specifically lists "promoting the interactive development of traditional Chinese medicine standards and technological innovation" as one of the key tasks, making traditional Chinese medicine standards more "technological". ——Application oriented, only effective upon implementation. The action plan specifies "publicly sharing information on traditional Chinese medicine standards, conducting standard interpretation and promotion through digital standards, new media, and other channels", and "compiling and publishing a promotion manual for traditional Chinese medicine and integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine diagnosis and treatment plans", providing a "strengthening shot" for the implementation and application of traditional Chinese medicine standards. Does standardization affect the differentiation and treatment of traditional Chinese medicine? The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases, Compendium of Materia Medica... Throughout the thousands of years of development of traditional Chinese medicine, the classics of traditional Chinese medicine have been continuously simplified and optimized based on diligent pursuit of ancient teachings and extensive use of various formulas, with "standardization" running through the entire process. The relevant person in charge of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine stated that different doctors have different clinical practice experiences and ways of thinking, but individualized diagnosis and treatment are not without rules and regulations, and there are also commonalities. "Standardization" can not only minimize the risk of watching and using traditional Chinese medicine, but also help to "inherit the essence, maintain integrity and innovate". Can standardization accelerate the "going global" of traditional Chinese medicine? The promulgation of ISO17218:2014 Sterile Disposable acupuncture and moxibustion Needles, the first international standardization organization standard for traditional Chinese medicine, has made acupuncture and moxibustion needles, which have been handed down by the Chinese nation for thousands of years, an internationally accepted standard, and has driven the popularity of traditional Chinese medicine products, technologies and services in the world. Acupuncture and moxibustion and Tibetan medicine bath methods of traditional Chinese medicine have been included in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Human Beings, and the Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine and Compendium of Materia Medica have been included in the Memory of the World List. The integration of traditional Chinese medicine with the international community also relies on standards to build bridges and pave the way. Zhang Boli, chairman of the National Technical Committee for Standardization of Traditional Chinese Medicine and academician of the CAE Member, said that he believed that the "treasure of China" would still shine brightly and move towards the future with more confidence! (New Society)