First national standard for disease classification and coding in Tibetan medicine released

China has officially unveiled the Tibetan Medicine Disease Classification and Code, a national standard for disease categorization in Tibetan medicine.

Formulated under the organization of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and set to take effect on April 1, 2025, the standard marks the country's first-ever national classification system for diseases in ethnic-minority medicine, according to the State Administration for Market Regulation.

Mima, president of the Xizang University of Tibetan Medicine and head of the Tibetan medicine standardization working group, said that the standard adheres to core Tibetan medical theories and clinical diagnostic needs. It divides diseases that can be treated with Tibetan medicine into 15 major categories and 97 subcategories. A comprehensive terminology and coding table has been established, assigning unique codes and names to over 3,000 diseases.

This signifies a pivotal advancement in the standardization of Tibetan medicine, playing a critical role in promoting the standardized and scientific development of Tibetan medical services, Mima said.