On the afternoon of June 18, 2026, the second 2026 session of TCM SciBridge for Young Scholars – the academic training program co-launched by the China Center for Evidence-Based Traditional Chinese Medicine (CCEBTCM) and the International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry (ITMCTR) – was successfully held. Dr. Zhang Xiaowen and Research Assistant Zhang Xuefei were invited to deliver thematic presentations. All core researchers and postgraduate students from the TCM Standards and Evidence-Based Medicine Team attended the event.

Dr. Zhang Xiaowen delivered an insightful presentation themed How Can Traditional Chinese Medicine Optimize Antibiotic Stewardship? A Case Study of Pediatric Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections. Centering on pediatric acute upper respiratory tract infections, the project explored feasible approaches for Chinese patent medicines to advance antibiotic stewardship. Combining realist review, retrospective therapeutic outcome analysis, and qualitative interviews conducted in China and the United Kingdom, the research systematically examined physician-patient decision-making, variations in medication use, as well as facilitators and barriers to alternative therapies.Preliminary findings indicated that Chinese patent medicines are widely accepted yet mostly administered in combination with antibiotics and can relieve cough symptoms; distinct medical cultures profoundly shape public perceptions and prescribing practices. After the presentation, young core researchers and postgraduates of the center held in-depth discussions covering research design, realist review methodologies, retrospective therapeutic outcome analysis, disparities in medical insurance policies between China and the UK, and follow-up expansion directions of the project.

Research Assistant Zhang Xuefei presented a report entitled Special Report on Open Science Policies and Practices: Core Themes and International Trends Summarized from Exchange Seminars. She reviewed the generational evolution and closed-loop governance system of France’s open science initiative, analyzing implementation outcomes of mandatory regulations such as linking clinical trial results to research funding. She also introduced the sovereign data sharing infrastructure developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences under the "open by default" principle, and illustrated the core value of non-commercial publishing represented by Vita in breaking resource monopolies and advancing academic equity. Finally, drawing on the Toluca-Cape Town Declaration, she stressed that open science requires global collaboration to build a multilateral governance framework, returning science to its original mission of serving the public. Following the report, young researchers and postgraduates of the CCEBTCM Center engaged in thorough discussions on the local adaptability of mandatory regulatory mechanisms, balanced pathways between open data sharing and data security boundaries, and sustainable development models for diamond open access in China, contributing youthful insights to promote the localized implementation of open science in China.

TCM SciBridge for Young Scholars is committed to establishing a high-standard international academic exchange platform to broaden young scholars’ global vision and strengthen their cross-cultural scientific communication capacity. As the second event of 2026, this session delivered dual perspectives of clinical evidence generation and institutional support for scientific research. It deepened the team’s understanding of rational antibiotic use and open data sharing, and consolidated a talent pool of young researchers to support high-quality generation and international dissemination of evidence-based TCM evidence.