Changing course: The new global WHO strategy on traditional medicine 2025-2034!

Now it's here: the WHO's new global strategy with a new acronym: TCIM, meaning Traditional, Complementary, and, (NEW), Integrative Medicine! At the initiative of the "Friends of TCIM," a proposal paper was developed within just under two years, which was then adapted by the WHO administration in line with current terminology and jurisdiction. The final draft of the 10-year strategy was adopted after the statements of all individual national delegates and the additional consultation of three stakeholder representatives. And yes…it is somehow good that the topic of "Traditional Medicine" is at least on the agenda here.

This new strategy differs greatly from previous strategies. While those were primarily dedicated to the culturally-evolved diversity of Traditional Medicine and still included the term "alternative medicine” in their name, the new term "TCIM" takes a different position: Traditional Medicine should fit into national public health systems. To achieve this, the former CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) now requires the stamp of scientific evidence-based certification as well as the status of verified non-disinformation as TCIM.

What does this development mean? At first glance, the nine basic principles contained within the global strategy sound good and harmless. In reality, however, they entail a lot of work and money for studies, training costs, documentation and certification, digitalization, and evaluation. This strategy, like its predecessors, is intended as a recommendation to national health authorities and their health systems as a voluntary service extension.

The cost-effective approach now made possible for patients and healthcare professionals aims to broaden the spectrum of healthcare policy. In connection with the One Health approach of incorporating health into all policy areas, the desire for transformation of global health systems is at stake. TCIM could therefore serve as a repair mechanism for the ailing and financially underfunded public health institutions – but it must also be clear that the highly bureaucratic and technological challenges must be met. The approach put forth by representatives of integrative medicine, that all evidence-based procedures and healthcare professions should work together in a “person-centered” manner, appears to be very challenging under the current framework conditions.

The new TCIM strategy's laser focus on evidence-based practices to prevent and exclude ‘fake news’ and ‘disinformation’ raises concerns that the special character of individual development, innovation, and the utilization of natural and spiritual resources could be lost. The now pervasive approach of a business-oriented scientific sustainability strategy and the associated reinterpreted definitions will likely ensure that less financially-attractive naturopathic treatments are eliminated (among other things), due to time expenditure or lack of evidence-based principles. The reduction in bureaucracy, currently demanded by industry and based on the precautionary principle introduced in 1995, is also urgently needed for the healthcare sector. Taking the example of the Federal Republic of Germany, whose representative also voted for the new TCIM strategy, we must ask ourselves: Who will pay for this? The former German Minister of Health left behind the following legacy of his time in office: On one hand more bureaucracy including more and more quality assurance; and on the other hand: Statutory health insurance funds are bankrupt; long-term care insurance is bankrupt; patients with compulsory insurance are paying more each month but receiving less and less in return; hospitals and emergency care are being reduced; pharmacies are disappearing – but there is no intention of cutting back on cost intensive quality assurance.

The idea that naturopathically-oriented doctors and academics want to be part of this system is difficult for me to understand. Perhaps TCIM is intended to be a lever for positive change in state healthcare systems? A slogan of the integrative medicine movement is: "Combining the best of two worlds." Well, there are two worlds – and both worlds are complex and comprehensive. Where is the unconditional positive evaluation and appreciation of the current Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM)? Current developments in mainstream medicine, technical-academic medicine, are heading in a different direction: personalized gene therapy, vaccinations, and digital prevention and emergency strategies are shaping the future. The current health policy debate in Europe, heavily spiced with One Health delicacies, revolves exclusively around these topics and is assumed to be the foundation.

Where is there room for T&CM? Today's reality already offers opportunities within the framework of integrated healthcare: in separate departments or annexes of medical care centers or clinics, where appropriately certified therapists work with T&CM methods based on consensus or instructions.

The new TCIM strategy explicitly includes the indigenous population and their world of thought. However, this term is more likely to be associated with Papua New Guinea than with the German Black Forest. And this is where it gets interesting: Ultimately, we are all indigenous people, natives, wherever we live on this planet. Our Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), combined with empirical medicine, individual spirituality, and a passion for innovation, should continue to be our core competence.

The non-governmental sector, the private or secondary market, allows for an independent perspective on the new global TCIM strategy. How will private health insurers react? Will individual professions resort to cherry-picking and reserve healing methods from other healing systems for themselves? The new strategy offers sufficient starting points for this and could lead to a further division within the T&CM community. Will the new strategy benefit patients? This will depend on the respective governments, who decide whether the TCIM strategy will be implemented...and of course: Are their financial pots full enough?

More: https://www.who.int/news/item/02-06-2025-wha78--traditional-medicine-takes-centre-stage