Today, their therapeutic value is the subject of mounting attention around the world. That is due partly to advances in elucidating the pharmacology of kampo scientifically. It also is due to progress in ensuring the identity and quality of the herbal raw materials and in managing the composition of kampo preparations precisely.
	Growing numbers of researchers are examining kampo from a thoroughly Western standpoint of scientific inquiry. And they are discovering that kampo preparations really do work. A database maintained by Tsumura contains some 60, 000 reports of research findings that verify the effectiveness of kampo preparations. Those reports include research findings in regard to established kampo preparations and possible new drugs based on kampo herbs.
Survey findings reported by the prominent professional journal Nikkei Medical document reasons for the growing interest in kampo in Japan. The reason that physicians cite most frequently for their renewed interest in kampo is the growing volume of scientific evidence. It suggests that the number of kampo-prescribing physicians will grow as researchers publish more findings in support of kampo. Nikkei Medical's survey findings also reveal large numbers of physicians who express a holistic orientation in prescribing kampo preparations. They recognize the importance of addressing the body as an integrated whole in treating health problems. They find that kampo preparations are a valuable therapeutic too in their holistic approach. Western medicine remains the core of Japanese medical education, and Western approaches to diagnosis and therapy predominate in Japan. Kampo preparations, however, fulfill an invaluable role inside that framework in complementing chemical pharmaceuticals. And that role is bound to grow as researchers continue to shed new light on the efficacy of kampo medicine.