Interpretation of International Guideline for Clinical Practice of Chinese Medicine: Allergic Rhinitis

On September 26, 2024, the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS) officially released the International Guideline for Clinical Practice of Chinese Medicine: Allergic Rhinitis (Standard No. SCM 80-2024). This guideline establishes a standardized framework of integrated Chinese and western medicine for the diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR). The guideline covers Chinese and western medicine diagnosis criteria for allergic rhinitis, and Chinese medicine internal treatment (prescription medicine and proprietary Chinese medicine), external treatment (acupuncture, acupressure, etc.), constitution identification and management strategy, preventive care program, clinical efficacy evaluation system, and core outcome sets (COS). The article outlines the background of this guideline and to explain the development of this guideline. This article outlines the background and development process of this guideline, provides a systematic academic interpretation of the core recommendations, and critically examines the advantages and limitations of this guideline. The goal is to support the clinical application and promotion of standardized Chinese medicine protocols for the management of AR around the world.