Statistical truths in traditional Chinese medicine theories

Diagnosis and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are based on several theories, which originated from, in our conjecture, regularities that ancient Chinese doctors observed in their experiences with patients. In an effort to rediscover such regularities, we have analyzed a TCM data set using a recently developed machine learning method. The resulting statistical model matches relevant TCM theory well. This is a major discovery as it indicates that there are indeed scientific truths in TCM theories. It also suggests the possibility of laying a statistical foundation for TCM through data analysis and thereby turning it into a modern science. ©201O IEEE