Emerging Developments in Integrative and Complementary Medicine: Advancements in Research and Clinical Applications—Second Edition
A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 990
Special Issue Editor
2. Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
3. CTEC—Centro Transdisciplinar de Estudos da Consciência, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal
Interests: biomedical engineering; parameterization of TCM diagnosis and therapeutics; acupuncture; traditional Chinese medicine; Qigong; meditation; biofield phenomena; focused intention
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In recent decades, interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been steadily increasing in Western societies. Integrating CAM approaches, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), into Western healthcare and research frameworks calls for a pragmatic and science-driven strategy. This integration requires standardising practices from diagnosis to treatment and harmonising ancient wisdom with contemporary scientific knowledge and technology. Key prerequisites include a coherent and communicable theoretical framework, scientific validation of efficacy and safety, and rigorous quality control to objectively assess TCM-related effects. Reliable, and where necessary, newly developed technological methods must be employed.
Much like conventional Western diagnosis, a well-founded TCM diagnostic process reflects the patient’s vegetative functional state and informs the therapeutic approach to presenting symptoms. TCM treatments, such as acupuncture, often involve the targeted stimulation of specific acupoints on the skin. The demonstrated success of acupuncture has prompted intensive research into the channel or meridian system, and core components of traditional acupuncture theory. Practices such as acupuncture and Qigong may activate the body's self-regulating mechanisms, potentially leading to profound structural and functional improvements that go beyond mere symptom management. This field of research carries significant medical implications and may broaden the scientific community’s understanding of human regulation and physiological adaptation.
While TCM serves as a prominent example, this Special Issue aims to encompass a wide range of CAM approaches, including but not limited to Ayurvedic medicine, naturopathy, osteopathy, and integrative mind–body practices from diverse cultural and clinical backgrounds, such as meditation-based therapies, yoga, Reiki, and healing touch, among others.
We warmly invite submissions focused on clinical applications, outcomes, and patient safety as well as the clinical applications of TCM. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, acupuncture, moxibustion, Chinese herbal medicine, dietetics, Qigong, Tai Chi, Tuina, automated diagnostic systems, and other CAM approaches, as well as investigations into biofield phenomena and the role of intention.
Dr. Luís Carlos Matos
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- acupuncture and moxibustion
- Chinese herbs and dietetics
- Qigong and Tai Chi
- Tuina and cupping
- auriculotherapy, hand acupuncture, and reflexology
- automatic diagnosis systems
- laser and electrical stimulation of acupoints
- meditation and focused intention
- biofield phenomena
- other CAM modalities
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