In a significant shift that could reshape traditional medical practices and conservation efforts worldwide, China has officially dropped pangolin-based ingredients from its list of approved traditional medicines.
In a significant shift that could reshape traditional medical practices and conservation efforts worldwide, China has officially dropped pangolin-based ingredients from its list of approved traditional medicines. Long considered a staple in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), pangolin scales were believed to carry healing properties—but their use has also been a major driver of one of the most illicit and destructive wildlife trafficking markets in the world. Subscribe for Full Access.
Conclusion: Toward a Legally and Ethically Aligned Future
The removal of pangolin parts from Chinese medicine is more than a policy change—it is a signal to the world that ancient practices must evolve to meet modern ethical and environmental standards. It offers a blueprint for how traditional knowledge can coexist with global conservation imperatives.
The legal industry has a pivotal role to play—drafting international conventions, advising governments, supporting NGOs, and influencing pharmaceutical regulation. Without a standardized legal approach, patchwork policies will continue to enable exploitation.
As we face mounting biodiversity loss, public health crises tied to zoonotic diseases, and accelerating climate disruption, the intersection of law, health, and conservation is clearer than ever. The global community must act now to ensure that the future of medicine is both sustainable and humane.
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