Delegates take part in a ceremony marking the foundation of a Traditional Chinese Medicine scientific innovation alliance. [Photo by Shan Juan/chinadaily.com.cn]

A Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) scientific innovation alliance has been created by the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, a subordinate of the State Administration of TCM.

The alliance, first of the kind in the country, comprises 101 TCM institutions such as colleges, academic institutes, medical facilities, and related enterprises across the nation, according to Liu Banyan, principal researcher of the academy. He's also director of the TCM information and data center of the academy.

"The alliance aims to advance science innovations related to TCM with the help of 'big data,'" he told the alliance launch.

That will help transform TCM related researches into useful techniques or products, he added.