WHO global reference list

In connection with the WHO's new 10-year strategy on traditional medicine, a globally valid reference list was compiled following the Gujarat Declaration and the Delhi Declaration. The glossary contained therein provides newly formulated definitions as follows:

	Complementary medicine Complementary medicine refers to additional health-care practices that are not part of a country’s mainstream medicine. Evidence-based complementary medicine has the potential to support mainstream medicine and more comprehensively to support people’s health and well-being needs.
	Herbal medicines Herbal medicines include herbs, herbal materials, herbal preparations and finished herbal products that contain – as active ingredients – parts of plants, plant materials or combinations thereof. In some countries herbal medicines may contain, by tradition, natural organic or inorganic active ingredients that are not of plant origin (e.g. animal and mineral materials).
	Hospital This includes: (a) public general hospitals, i.e. hospitals providing a range of different services for patients of various age groups and with varying disease conditions; (b) public specialized hospitals; (c) district/first-level hospitals, i.e. hospitals at the first referral level responsible for a district or a defined geographical area containing a defined population and governed by a politico-administrative organization such as a district health management team; and (d) private hospitals, i.e. hospitals not owned by government or parastatal organizations (including both private not-for-profit [e.g. owned by religious organizations] and private for-profit).
	Integrative medicine This is an interdisciplinary and evidence-based approach to health and well-being that uses a combination of biomedical, traditional and/or complementary medical knowledge, skills and practices.
	International Classification of Diseases (ICD) The International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, or ICD, serves to record and report health and health-related conditions globally. The ICD ensures the interoperability and comparability of digital health data. The ICD contains diseases, disorders, health conditions and much more. The inclusion of a specific category in the ICD depends on its utility to the different uses of the ICD and sufficient evidence that a health condition exists. Traditional medicine is included as a separate chapter in the 11th Revision of the ICD (ICD-11) for optional use. The chapter provides a list of diagnostic categories for collecting and reporting on traditional medicine conditions in a standardized and internationally comparable manner.
	Primary health care A whole-of-society approach to health that aims to maximize the level and distribution of health and well-being through three components, namely: (a) primary care and essential public health functions as the core of integrated health services; (b) multisectoral policy and action; and (c) empowered people and communities.
	Traditional medicine The term refers to codified or non-codified systems for health care and well-being, comprising practices, skills, knowledge and philosophies originating in different historical and cultural contexts which are distinct from and pre-date biomedicine, evolving with science for current use from an experience-based origin. Traditional medicine emphasizes nature based remedies and holistic, personalized approaches to restore the balance of mind, body and environment. Traditional and complementary medicine merges the terms “traditional medicine” and “complementary medicine”. Traditional, complementary and integrative medicine merges the terms “traditional medicine”, “complementary medicine” and “Integrative medicine”.
	Well-being Well-being is a positive state experienced by individuals and societies. Similar to health, it is a resource for daily life and is determined by social, economic and environmental conditions. Well-being encompasses the quality of life, as well as the ability of people and societies to contribute to the world with a sense of meaning and purpose. Focusing on well-being supports the tracking of the equitable distribution of resources, overall thriving and sustainability. A society’s well-being can be observed by the extent to which the society is resilient, builds capacity for action, and is prepared to transcend challenges.

Taken from: 20 December 2025 - WHO global reference list of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine indicators for health systems performance → WHO/ Publications/ Overview/