Objectives : This study conducted a survey on the needs of Korean medicine doctors for health care education programs specializing in traditional Korean medicine. Methods : The study selected Korean medicine doctors who had experience participating in outpatient consultations. Data collected through surveys underwent frequency analysis on performance, importance, difficulty, and educational needs using SPSS 24.0. Additionally, an Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) was conducted using importance and performance data. Results : According to the results of the IPA analysis, in the area of "keep up the good work" there were activities such as fee Claims (A3), comprehensive assessment (B4), care plan development (B5), client and caregiver interviews (C8), chronic disease monitoring (C9), musculoskeletal and other pain management, musculoskeletal rehabilitation (C10), mental health management (C11), and fall prevention (C15). In the "concentrate here" priority action area, skin care including pressure sore management (C13) was identified. Conclusions : The traditional Korean medicine community care service is expected to expand further, so it is anticipated that the developed educational programs will contribute to the activation of traditional Korean medicine health care business.

Objectives : This study aimed to investigate the history, current status, and regulation of complementary medicine in Australia. Methods : To investigate complementary medicine in Australia, we searched domestic and overseas academic databases, and websites of public and private organizations related to the Australian health care. Results : Complementary medicine consists of numerous services, among which massage and chiropractic care are significantly utilized by Australians. Since 2010, Australian healthcare practitioners, in the field of complementary medicine, have been supervised by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Those who AHPRA is responsible for managing acupuncturists, chiropractors, and osteopaths. Other professions are regulated by their own respective associations. Not only aforementioned services offered by specialists, but also consumption of oral supplements accounts for considerable portion of complementary medicine in Australia. Complementary medicine products, vitamins, and minerals are managed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). In terms of insurance policy, the reimbursement of complementary medicine expenses in Australia is covered by the public healthcare insurance system, Medicare. Medicare covers acupuncture, chiropractic, and osteopathy services. Other complementary therapies are continuously reviewed to update their coverage under this scheme. Conclusion : In Australia, practitioner qualifications, education standards, and scope of procedures related to complementary medicine are systematically managed through legal regulations of the federal and state governments.

Objective : In order to understand the changes in domestic approval regulations applicable to traditional Korean medical device companies, this article will explain the major amendments 「Regulation on Medical Device Approval Report Review, etc.」 from 2005 to the present on a year-by-year basis, and provide a counter plan to the recent changes in approval regulations. Methods : We analysed the changes in approval regulatory amendments related to the traditional Korean medical devices from 2005 to the present. Results : The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is continuously improving medical device approval regulations to ensure the global competitiveness of domestic medical devices and contribute to the improvement of public health. Recent major approval regulatory amendments include the establishment of a review system for software medical devices and digital therapeutics, the recognition of real world evidence materials, the introduction of a biological evaluation of medical devices within a risk management process and a medical device approval licence renewal system. Conclusions : It is expected that the range of medical devices available to Korean medicine doctors will continue to expand in the future through the provision of non-face-to-face medical services and the development of advanced and new medical devices, as well as wearable medical devices and digital therapeutics. In order to increase the market entry potential of traditional Korean medical devices that incorporate advanced technologies such as digital technology and AI-based diagnosis and prediction technology, it is urgent that the government provide significant support to traditional Korean medical device companies to improve approval regulatory compliance.

Objectives : The aim of this study was to identify the effect of Medical humanities curriculum on students of Korean medical school in terms of cognitive, affective, and psychomotor level of humanities skill. Methods : The course was taught to second- and third-year Korean medicine students. The classes were held eight times a semester for second-year students and 9 times for third-year students, and each class was held once a week for 2 hours. Formative and summative assessments, group and individual assignments, and peer assessments were conducted to evaluate educational effectiveness, as well as basic lecture evaluations and satisfaction surveys. Results : Most of the students who took Medical humanities showed a performance rate of more than 60-70% in the cognitive aspect, and the total score was 14.48 with a standard deviation of 2.70 in the knowledge application stage. In terms of class satisfaction, students in Medical humanities I were more satisfied with the evaluation criteria and class management expertise, while students in Medical humanities II were most satisfied with the class organization, with an average score of 4.86/5. Conclusions : It was confirmed that students' humanities improved in cognitive, affective, and psychological aspects after medical humanities courses, and future research should be conducted on the long-term educational effects of medical humanities, effective teaching methods, and evaluation methods.

Objectives : This study aims to systematically examine the determinants of the intention to take herbal medicine among individuals with experience in Korean medicine. Methods : This study utilized the 3,245 respondents from the 2020 Korean Medicine Utilization and Herbal Medicine Consumption Survey who reported having used Korean medical services; the responses were selected through a complex sample analysis, and analytics techniques including frequency analysis, Rao-scott chisquare test, and logistic regression were used to analyze the responses. Results : The results of data analysis reveal that the intention to take herbal medicine in the future among these individuals was significantly influenced by factors such as enrollment in private health insurance, the facility environment of Korean medical institutions, and treatment outcomes. Conclusions : Therefore, it is imperative for Korean medical institutions to continuously try reasonable action strategies, including improving medical facilities/environments and building institutional mechanisms among medical staff and members to enhance the quality of Korean medical services. Additionally, the Ministry of Health and Welfare needs to make policy efforts to reduce patients' medical expenses, such as reducing the co-insurance rate in the pilot project of applying health insurance to herbal medicine.

Objectives : This study is to investigate the current National Health Insurance Database cohort studies related to complications of Parkinson's Disease (PD) and suggest the design of Korean medical epidemiological studies of PD. Methods : Nationwide longitudinal studies of PD patients in South Korea were collected through Pubmed and the Korea Citation Index (KCI). We selected cohort studies that used the National Health Insurance Database in Korea and targeted Parkinson's disease patients. Studies published before February 2024 were categorized according to study designs. We examined variables and covariates, enroll dates and matching methods. Results : Of a total of 536 studies, 18 studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies used the National Health Insurance (NHI) Research Database and among them, 5 used sample data and one senior database. Studies can be classified into two types. 11 cohort studies were comparing PD patients and non-PD patients. Another type was 4 PD patients cohort studies. Most studies used two diagnostic codes (G20 and V124) for inclusion criteria. Enroll periods were from 2002 to 2017, and follow-up periods were from 7 to 14 years. 16 studies considered age and sex as covariates. 15 studies used the propensity score matching method to increase the level of causality. There was only one study related to the Korean medical treatment. Conclusion : In future cohort studies on Korean medical treatment, more attempts should be made to reveal the effect of the treatments on PD patients by defining inclusion criteria for patient groups, covariates, exposure variables, and assessment indicators more operatively.

Objectives : To investigate the clinical usage of Banhabaekchulcheonmatang (BBCT), this study reviewed clinical studies conducted in Korea. Method : Literature search was performed on four Korean database; OASIS, RISS, KTKP and NDSL. Studies published before July 2023 were categorized and analyzed according to the target disease. Results : Fifty-four studies including 36 single case reports and 18 case series were included in this review and the total number of case patients was 79. There were 24 patients with peripheral vertigo such as benign paraoxysmal positional vertigo and Meniere's disease, 17 with central vertigo such as cerebellar infarction, 15 with vertigo accompanied by digestive symptoms, 13 with headache, and 10 with other diseases. Vertigo treatment accounted for more than 70% of the total case and there was no cases of hypertension and dementia. The BBCT formulation used was decoction in 69 patients (87.3%), powder in 7 patients (8.9%), and combination of decoction and powder in 3 patients (3.8%). Conclusion : Clinical research should be accumulated to expand the use of BBCT in the treatment of hypertension and dementia. In order to increase the use of insurance-covered extract preparation, it is necessary to make an effort to include the various diseases actually treated with BBCT in the indications.

Objectives : This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cold feet and sleep quality using polysomnography (PSG) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Methods : We divided 11 adults (6 females, 5 males) with Insomnia Severity Index score below 21 into cold feet (CF) and a non-cold feet (NCF) group based on the median feet temperature (Taichong, LR3). PSG and PSQI were administered to assess sleep characteristics and subjective sleep quality. Results : CF group exhibited significantly lower time in bed, sleep period time, and total sleep time compared to NCF group. While there were no significant group differences in sleep latency, wakefulness after sleep onset, or total arousal index, NCF group had significantly lower minimum oxygen saturation and apnea-hypopnea index in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep compared to CF group. Although the PSQI score and the proportion of poor sleepers were both higher in the CF group (7.40 and 80%) compared to the NCF group (5.50 and 50%), these differences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions : This study showed that foot temperature affects sleep characteristics and suggests the need to utilize PSG in sleep research in Korean medicine.

Objectives : The objective of this review is to examine the variety of evaluation parameters utilized in clinical trials that assess the anticancer efficacy of herbal medicine, focusing on the importance of including both symptomatic management and direct anticancer effectiveness. Methods : A detailed literature review was conducted across PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to identify clinical trials investigating the antitumor efficacy of herbal medicine. The search was performed on February 22, 2024. This review specifically examined the employed outcome measures, which were then categorized and analyzed to understand their relevance and application in evaluating the anticancer properties of herbal medicine. Results : From an initial search of 900 records, 15 clinical trials were selected for in-depth analysis after deduplication and screening. These studies evaluated the efficacy of herbal medicine across various cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer, using outcome measures such as survival rates, disease control rates, and quality of life improvements. The research spanned multiple countries, primarily in East Asia and the United States, reflecting a global interest in herbal medicine as a complementary approach to cancer treatment. The present study demonstrated that herbal medicine, especially when used alongside standard treatments, potentially improved clinical outcomes and patient well-being. Conclusions : The findings of this review highlight the need for a broader focus on the full range of therapeutic capabilities of herbal medicine, including its direct anticancer effects, in the management of cancer patients. Future oncology research involving herbal medicine should integrate a wide spectrum of clinical endpoints to fully ascertain its impact on cancer treatment and patient health.

목적 : 본 연구는 감기에 대한 한약제제 임상시험을 수행하고 평가하는 데 보편적인 원칙을 제공하는 가이드라인 개발과정 및 내용을 소개하여 가이드라인 활용성 및 접근성을 높이고자 한다. 방법 : 임상시험 가이드라인 개발을 위해 총 9인으로 이루어진 위원회를 구성하고, 전반적인 절차를 수립하였다. 먼저, 가이드라인 집필위원회에서 관련된 국내외 가이드라인을 고찰하고, 감기에 대한 최신 임상시험 논문을 분석하여 초안을 완성하였다. 이후 대한한방내과학회 소속 전문가 자문위원회 검토 및 8인의 전문가로 구성된 협의회 자문을 통해 최종 가이드라인을 도출하였다. 결과 : 본 가이드라인은 (1) 일반적 사항 (2) 유효성 평가 기준 (3) 유효성 평가 방법 (4) 시험 대상자 선정 (5) 임상시험 설계 (6) 안전성 평가 (7) 감기 치료에서의 병용요법 (8) 한의학적 고려 사항의 8가지 범주로 나뉘어진다. 최종 개발된 가이드라인은 한의약임상시험센터 협의회와 대한한방내과학회의 인증을 득하였다. 결론 : 본 가이드라인은 감기 치료를 위한 임상시험을 수행하고 평가하는 데 유용하게 사용될 것이며, 이를 통해 신뢰할 수 있는 결과를 이끌어내고 정확한 해석을 용이하게 할 수 있을 것이라 기대된다. 또한 추후 해당 가이드라인 개정 및 관련된 호흡기질환 가이드라인 개발 과정에 도움을 줄 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

This case study aims to report Korean medicine treatment's response to weakness and numbness in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) patient. The patient received Korean medicine treatment during hospitalization, including Duhuo Jisheng Tang and pharmacoacupuncture. The assessment was performed using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for numbness, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). After 21 days of treatment, the FIM improved from 82 to 126, NRS improved from 6 to 2, and ODI improved from 37 to 8. There were no side effects after receiving Korean medicine. This case suggests that Korean medicine treatment can induce treatment response for lower extremity weakness and numbness in CIDP patients.