The concept of preventive treatment for diseases in the Chinese context originated in an ancient Chinese medical text called The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon or The Inner Canon of Huangdi. This concept is that of taking treatment measures in order to prevent recurrence of diseases and consequent deterioration in health and well-being. There are three aspects of preventive treatment: 1) preventive measures before the onset of the illness; 2) measures taken against deterioration during the illness; and 3) measures taken against relapse after recovery.1 The authors introduced a Tradtional Chinese Medicine (TCM) model of preventive treatment for diseases into the clinical health care practice at Guangdong Women's and Children's Hospital (GDWCH). TCM principles and methodologies were applied along with modern medical practices of diagnosis and treatment. The study found that the new model of integrative medicine applied at GDWCH presented a wide range of possibilities for both social benefits and good medical prognosis
