Italian doctors embrace traditional Chinese medicine in new training programs

Ancient Chinese medical techniques are being employed at Italy's Siena University Hospital, as part of a longstanding exchange program designed to enhance treatment options and improve patient care in both countries.

At the university, modern medical practices and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are working side by side.

"I think that ancient medicine has roots that can have a very important bridge between Western medicine and also science," said Zion Levy, an anesthetist at the hospital.

TCM techniques have been increasingly used as complementary therapies at the hospital since an exchange program with China started in 2016.

"In our clinic, we use techniques such as acupuncture, cupping, moxibustion, and electro-stimulation. We treat mainly breast cancer patients with acupuncture to help them tolerate the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy - and the feedback is 100 percent positive," said Levy.

According to the hospital's general director, approximately 100 doctors from China travel to Siena each year for intensive training in various specialties.

"We've had nephrologists, general surgeons, paediatricians, oncologists, so all specialties of our hospital are open to the exchanges," said Antonio Barretta, general director of the hospital.

He stressed that the visiting doctors are also supported outside the hospital, helping them integrate into the local community.

"This is an aspect that is very important to this exchange, the Chinese doctors who come to us can live in the context of Siena and the Italian culture," said Barretta.

As part of the cooperation project, medical professionals from Siena also travel to China.

In June, Francesca Tarantino, director of the hospital's neurosurgery, spent 10 days at the Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine and saw first-hand how TCM is used to treat neurological conditions.

"It was an important experience for me because I was able to observe traditional medicine, acupuncture in practice in many areas, such as intensive care," said Tarantino.

The goal of the partnership is to broaden the range of tools available for improving patient care. It is set to expand with a new cooperation agreement signed this year to enhance professional training, scientific research, and the continued promotion of traditional medicine.

Italian doctors embrace traditional Chinese medicine in new training programs

The Shenzhou-21 crew members aboard China's orbiting Tiangong space station had recorded their preparations for the debris-hit Shenzhou-20 spaceship before its safe landing back on Earth on Jan. 19 after its extended stay in orbit.

The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) confirmed the return capsule touched down safely at the Dongfeng Landing Site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 09:34 local time on Jan. 19, bringing an end to the extraordinary mission.

The footage released by the CMSA on Sunday showed the three astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang conducting essential procedures aboard the space station.

During their final operations, the crew packed items including the decommissioned extravehicular spacesuit B, a number of large payloads from space application systems, and other materials designated for disposal or return to Earth.

Shenzhou-20, returning unmanned, has set a record for the largest volume of cargo ever carried back to Earth in a single mission. Throughout the transfer and fixation process, the astronauts paid close attention to mass distribution and balance to maintain the spacecraft's stability during its re-entry and descent to Earth. The crew also conducted detailed checks of the docking port and hatch seals, confirming that all sealing functions were intact and the hatch was secure.

Launched last April, Shenzhou-20's planned return was postponed in early November due to concerns over damage caused by a suspected space debris impact, after the CMSA said tiny cracks were found in the Shenzhou-20 return capsule's viewport window. An alternative spacecraft was later used to transport the three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou-20 mission safely back to Earth.

Despite sustaining damage, the capsule withstood temperatures of thousands of degrees Celsius during the re-entry process and successfully touched down on Earth. Initial on-site inspections by ground crew at the landing site confirmed the return capsule's overall appearance was normal and that the items returned inside were in good condition.

The Shenzhou-20 spacecraft spent a total of 270 days in orbit, validating its long-term docking capability, with engineers saying the follow-up work will also provide an important basis for China's space program to continually refine operating procedures.

Footage reveals preparations in space station for Shenzhou-20's return to Earth