A Review on Korean Medicine and Personalized Medicine: Syndrome-based Personalized Medicine on the Basis of Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment

Article information

J Korean Med. 2014;35(3):40-48

Publication date (electronic) : 2014 September 30

doi : https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.14029

Department of Convergence Korean Medical Science, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University

Correspondence to: 양웅모 (Woong Mo Yang), 서울시 동대문구 회기동 1번지 경희대학교 한의과대학, Tel: +82-2-961-2209, Fax: +82-2-961-2209, E-mail: wmyang@khu.ac.kr

Received 2014 May 19; Revised 2014 July 16; Accepted 2014 July 16.

Abstract

Objectives:

This study aimed to review the characteristics of personalized medicine and Korean medicine, and the correlation between personalized medicine and Korean medicine.

Methods:

We investigated various studies in PubMed, Scopus and domestic Korean medicine journals. In addition, we discussed the topic based on literature.

Results:

Western medicine developed as evidence-based medicine. However, its limitations are being reached, so a new paradigm of medicine is needed. As a result, personalized medicine has appeared. Recently, through the development of human genomics, personalized medicine has been researched on the basis of individual genetic characteristics. Korean medicine has developed with a unique holistic approach and treats not the disease itself but the patient’s body. Its characteristic is well expressed through syndrome differentiation and treatment. Syndrome differentiation represents the nature of person-centered medicine and becomes the root of personalized medicine.

Conclusions:

Compared with genome-based personalized medicine of Western medicine, Korean medicine could be classified as syndrome-based personalized medicine. It would be great to apply this characteristic to clinical practices.

Keywords: Korean medicine; personalized medicine; tailored care; syndrome differentiation and treatment; syndrome-based personalized medicine

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