Traditional Medicine in a New Era: Connectivity – Innovation – Integration

Connectivity is reflected in the growing integration of traditional medicine with modern medicine, rehabilitation, musculoskeletal healthcare, geriatric medicine, preventive medicine, and health tourism. This special issue also strengthens academic connections among Vietnamese research institutions, authors, and organizations from Japan, South Korea, and the United States. Articles addressing Japanese Judo-Seifuku, AI-ready clinical data in Korean traditional medicine, and rehabilitation following stroke and traumatic brain injury illustrate the increasing exchange of knowledge, experience, and clinical practice models across different medical systems.

Innovation is demonstrated through emerging approaches to research and clinical practice. The articles address the standardization of clinical trial centers in accordance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP); electroacupuncture combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy for insomnia; electroacupuncture combined with ultrasound therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome; the application of Hoang dang and tamanu oil in the treatment of anal fissures; the development of the herbal liquid extract “Tieu doc duong nhan”; and research on the conservation of the medicinal plant Phaeanthus vietnamensis Ban. These developments are accompanied by growing interest in artificial intelligence, standardized data, and digital transformation in traditional medicine.

Integration emphasizes the importance of preserving indigenous medical knowledge while advancing traditional medicine through scientific evidence, data standardization, quality management, digital technologies, and international research standards. Policy analyses highlight the need to move beyond fragmented development toward a coordinated traditional medicine ecosystem, in which institutional frameworks, science and technology, digital transformation, and medicinal plant value chains serve as essential pillars.

Several studies in this special issue indicate an increasing emphasis on evidence-based approaches to traditional medicine, combining traditional therapeutic methods with modern techniques to assess treatment effectiveness, monitor clinical outcomes, and ensure patient safety. Clinical investigations report notable improvements across conditions such as insomnia, carpal tunnel syndrome, anal fissures, musculoskeletal disorders, and selected dermatological conditions. Other studies contribute to identifying factors associated with disease prognosis and progression in specific patient populations.

Research on herbal formulations continues to demonstrate the potential of traditional medicinal resources for clinical applications, while emphasizing the need for standardized procedures, controlled study designs, and comprehensive safety assessments. Articles addressing artificial intelligence and digital transformation identify standardized data, interoperability, metadata, and data governance as essential foundations for the responsible expansion of AI applications in traditional medicine.

The scope of this special issue extends beyond research and treatment to encompass healthcare service management and health tourism development. Practical data from traditional medicine facilities suggest increasing demand for services among domestic patients and international visitors, creating opportunities to develop health and wellness services based on medicinal plants, traditional therapeutic methods, and local cultural heritage. These developments also highlight the need for service quality standardization, outcome evaluation, safety governance, and healthcare models that integrate with international healthcare systems and wellness markets.

Through the theme “Traditional Medicine in a New Era: Connectivity – Innovation – Integration,” DJMP aims to contribute to an academic platform that connects traditional knowledge with modern science, promotes innovative research, strengthens evidence-based practice, and expands collaboration among researchers, educational institutions, hospitals, and national and international partners.

The Editorial Board of the Da Nang Journal of Medicine and Pharmacy cordially invites readers, researchers, and healthcare professionals to explore Volume 02 – Issue 04, 2026.