WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy: 2002-2005: Key points: WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2002

WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy: 2002-2005
(2002; 70 pages) [French] [Spanish]

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgements
	Acronyms, abbreviations and WHO Regions
	Key points: WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2002 - 2005
		What is traditional medicine?
		Widespread and growing use
		Why such broad use?
		Uncritical enthusiasm versus uninformed scepticism
		Challenges in developing TM/CAM potential
		The current role of WHO
		Framework for action
		Strategy implementation
	Chapter One: Global review
		1.1 What is traditional medicine? Towards a working definition
		1.2 Broad use and appeal
		1.3 Expenditure
		1.4 Accounting for use and increasing interest
		1.5 Responding to the popularity of TM/CAM
	Chapter Two: Challenges
		2.1 What needs to be done?
		2.2 National policies and legal framework
		2.3 Safety, efficacy, quality
		2.4 Access
		2.5 Rational use
	Chapter Three: The current role of WHO
		3.1 Developing TM/CAM and integrating it into national health care systems
		3.2 Ensuring appropriate, safe and effective use of traditional medicine
		3.3 Increasing access to TM/CAM information
	Chapter Four: International and national resources for traditional medicine
		4.1 UN Agencies
		4.2 International organizations
		4.3 Nongovernmental organizations
		4.4 Global professional associations
		4.5 International and national professional associations
		4.6 Specific initiatives
	Chapter Five: Strategy and plan of action 2002 - 2005
		5.1 Policy: Integrate TM/CAM with national health care systems, as appropriate, by developing and implementing national TM/CAM policies and programmes
		5.2 Safety, efficacy and quality: Promote the safety, efficacy and quality of TM/CAM by expanding the knowledge-base on TM/CAM, and by providing guidance on regulatory and quality assurance standards
		5.3 Access: Increase the availability and affordability of TM/CAM, as appropriate, with an emphasis on access for poor populations
		5.4 Rational use: Promote therapeutically sound use of appropriate TM/CAM by providers and consumers
	Annex One: List of WHO Collaborating Centres for Traditional Medicine
	Annex Two: Selected WHO publications and documents on traditional medicine
		National policy and monitoring
		Quality, safety and efficacy
		Rational use
		WHO Collaborating Centres for Traditional Medicine
	References
	Back Cover

Framework for action

The WHO Traditional Medicines Strategy 2002 - 2005 reviews the status of TM/CAM globally, and outlines WHO's own role and activities in TM/CAM. But more importantly it provides a framework for action for WHO and its partners, aimed at enabling TM/CAM to play a far greater role in reducing excess mortality and morbidity, especially among impoverished populations. The strategy incorporates four objectives:

1. Policy - Integrate TM/CAM with national health care systems, as appropriate, by developing and implementing national TM/CAM policies and programmes.

2. Safety, efficacy and quality - Promote the safety, efficacy and quality of TM/CAM by expanding the knowledge-base on TM/CAM, and by providing guidance on regulatory and quality assurance standards.

3. Access - Increase the availability and affordability of TM/CAM, as appropriate, with an emphasis on access for poor populations.

4. Rational use - Promote therapeutically sound use of appropriate TM/CAM by providers and consumers.

Implementation of the strategy will initially focus on the first two objectives. Achieving the safety, efficacy and quality objective will provide the necessary foundation for achieving the access and rational use objectives.