Professor Shen Yuandong

Professor SHEN Yuandong (8th COT Award Winner)

Affiliation at the time of the Award:

Chair of ISO/TC 249 (International Organisation for Standardisation/Technical Committee for Traditional Medicine)

Biography:

Professor Shen Yuandong graduated from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1975 and later earned a Hospital Management diploma from the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in 2003. He has served as the Director of the Diabetes Center and President of Shuguang Hospital affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau, and Director of the Shanghai Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Currently, he holds the positions of Chair of ISO/TC 249 (International Organisation for Standardisation/ Technical Committee for Traditional Medicine), Honorary President of the Shanghai Academy of International Standardisation for Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Tenured Professor at Shuguang Hospital.

During his tenure at Shuguang Hospital, Professor Shen made outstanding contributions to clinical practice, education, scientific research, and hospital management. In 2007, as President, he became the first among all TCM hospitals in China to propose a strategic vision and a specific plan for establishing a research-oriented hospital. This initiative laid a solid foundation for Shuguang Hospital to maintain its leading position and ensure sustainable development among TCM hospitals nationwide.

In 2009, Professor Shen served as the Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau and concurrently as the Director of the Shanghai Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. During that period, he spearheaded the publication of the “Opinions of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government on Further Accelerating the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Shanghai” and implemented the Three-Year Action Plan for TCM Development in Shanghai. These measures provided significant momentum for the high-quality advancement of TCM in the city.

Since 2008, Professor Shen has been dedicated to promoting the internationalisation of TCM. Following the national directives, he was responsible for organising and managing the Chinese Expert Group for the WHO ICD-11 TM1 project. His work contributed to integrating a TCM-based disease and syndrome classification system into the WHO’s global health management framework.

At the end of 2009, Professor Shen was appointed with leadership of ISO/TC 249. Adhering to the principles of ISO, with his outstanding leadership and international perspective, ISO/TC 249 has been built into a harmonious, efficient, and steadily developing international organisational platform. To date, ISO/TC 249 has grown to include 45 member countries and published 125 international TCM standards, establishing itself as a model of success within the global ISO system.

In 2025, following a resolution by the ISO Technical Management Board, ISO/TC 249 underwent significant restructuring. Professor Shen once again turned challenges into opportunities and established a robust organisational framework for the committee through extensive communication and coordination. The new TC 249 is poised to lead international standardisation efforts for traditional medicine worldwide, further contributing to the global development of TCM.