Could we gain insights from the past? Considerations on the 2015 Noble Prize in Physiology or Medicine

One of the winners of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine drew inspiration for her research from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Beginning with a brief history of such a research, some remarks are offered on the event. It is argued that two (however interacting) streams of TCM seem to coexist today in China: one that has embraced modernization and another one that has striven to preserve its distinctiveness with respect to scientific medicine. The former has contributed to the winning of the Nobel Prize, the latter is entitled to contribute to medical pluralism.