Patients often hear that “medicine is toxic” and ask, “Does this medicine have any side effects? How long do I have to take it?” While answering this question, I recall a personal experience that I have had for more than 20 years, but I still have a lot of insights. The main task of the clinical internship in the 5th year of university was to link the theoretical knowledge taught in school with clinical practice, to further learn the experience and techniques of clinical medical experts, and to record the main points of each patient’s case and the treatment process. During this time, I once met a woman in her thirties who was pregnant for the first time in the gynecology ward of a Chinese hospital overseas. She had been hospitalized for more than a week to take medicine to tonify the kidneys and calm the fetus and to clear heat and stop bleeding, but the bleeding did not stop. A few days ago, the patient did not look well, but on this day, during the checkup, her cheeks were red and she shyly pulled the old doctor aside to whisper about something. When I got back to the office, the old doctor asked me, “What do you think is the cause of this case?” “Not kidney deficiency?” I was a little hesitant. “Do you see that she doesn’t look well?” The old doctor looked a little angry. ”Yes.” I didn’t dare to speak up. ”I thought she was older and didn’t look good, but now ……” “She …… is okay.” ”She doesn’t want the baby now …… Since that’s the case, why don’t you try a prescription and abort it?” The old doctor said. This is really difficult for me, I just came out of college, feel nothing, although it should be a little “newborn calf” spirit, but human life is at stake …… is like a test, I can only accept. The good thing is that I have a teacher to teach me, so I will prepare a prescription and give it to the teacher for approval. There is no TCM abortion course in the school, only that some herbs may cause abortion and pregnant women should be cautious or avoid using them. However, the teacher has also said that if there is a certain etiological mechanism, it is necessary to use the medicine that may cause damage for treatment, it is fine to use it. This is the philosophy behind the Chinese medicine saying “if there is a reason for not perishing, there is also no perishing”. Should I continue to keep the fetus or should I abort it? I don’t know, I can only prescribe medicine for the pregnant woman according to the principle of “fetal movement”. I found that the old doctor was right when he identified liver and kidney deficiency as the main cause. But what if there is something wrong with such a fetus? I was dizzy, I had never encountered such a problem before! I tried to think more clearly, but it was very difficult. I’m afraid I can’t do it without using the San Leng and Curcuma which break the blood flow. I finally prepared a prescription and handed it to my teacher, and the old doctor was very happy to see it and affirmed it. I struggled internally for a while before I got the courage to hand the prescription to the office nurse to issue. “This patient, the prescription is changed today.” ”Okay, I’ll have them decoct the medicine right away.” The nurse was very dedicated. And I was still secretly worried after leaving work at noon. The next morning, the old doctor instructed, “You …… don’t go to check the room today.” I was as apprehensive as if I had done something bad, sitting in the office reading a book but could not read anything. As soon as the old doctor came back from his room, I stood up and asked, “How is it?” “It’s fine.” She only said two words lightly, and my heart dropped like a stone and I felt relieved. On the third day, without saying anything, the old doctor went back to the room alone. I thought I should stay in the office and read a book. It felt so good to read a book today, like never before! “She’s stopped bleeding and wants to be discharged immediately.” The old doctor came back and said, without the slightest expression of joy. How could that be? It was only one or two doses of medicine! I couldn’t believe it and didn’t dare to ask more questions, so I immediately put together a discharge summary for the patient. The old doctor picked up the medical record and looked at it very carefully. The medical record was a bit embarrassing – I wanted to keep the fetus, but the bleeding was not stopping; I wanted to abort the fetus, but the bleeding stopped. “Can this medical record …… be changed? Can you rewrite it?” “No …… can’t!” This can be too much trouble, I have to find a reason to refuse. “What if the child is born with problems? How about being realistic.” The old doctor rushed to the patient’s home after work for a follow-up visit. The next day she came into the office and yelled at me, “She won’t take her medication! Do you know what to say about this?” …… Are there any toxic side effects of Chinese medicine? The answer is yes. Can they be taken for a long time and for how long? It depends on the changes of the disease. There is a famous saying in Chinese medicine – the disease stops when it is in the middle. In other words, if the disease has changed after the drug has worked, the drug should be stopped or the prescription should be adjusted. The pressure on medical professionals 20 years ago was probably much easier compared to today, and it was rare to see things that were not clear or clear between doctors and patients, and people were willing to take the time to communicate in a calm and friendly manner without mutual suspicion or fear. Today, on the other hand, we must constantly sign agreements, informed consent forms, notes of conversations, etc. beforehand, and still face the possibility of medical disputes and lawsuits in court afterwards. At the end of the year, when we learn that the authorities at all levels will come to randomly check the quality of medical records …… how will such medical records be “improved and perfected”?