Case reports in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) format are important records of TCM clinical practice and the fundamental literature for experience discussion and inheritance. There are no standards regarding reporting structure and content

which had led to the appreciable variability in reporting quality

and also had complicated the efficacy and safety assessment. Here we propose to categorize TCM case reports into 2 genres

namely

the instructive and the structured reports respectively. Quality assessment based on modern standards (eg. the CARE checklist) was suggested to apply to structured reports

paralleled with TCM theoretical discussion. Disease-oriented evaluation is also an important aspect. For example

as to instructive reports of COVID-19

TCM discussion including fundamental theories

principles

formulas and herbs should be the emphasis

while quality evaluation is not mandatory. As to structured reports of COVID-19

aside from the quality evaluation based on the CARE checklist

describing the clinical classification and prognostic factors is highly necessary. The importance of rigorous statement reflecting TCM’s independent therapeutic effect should be stressed.