WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy: 2002-2005: Chapter Two: Challenges: 2.1 What needs to be done?

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

2.1 What needs to be done?

The most important issues to be tackled are outlined in Table 6 and fall into four categories:

• national policy and regulatory frameworks
• safety, efficacy and quality.
• access
• rational use.

Table 6. TM/CAM challenges fall into four categories

National policy and regulatory frameworks	• Lack of official recognition of TM/CAM and TM/CAM providers • TM/CAM not integrated into national health care systems • Lack of regulatory and legal mechanisms • Equitable distribution of benefits of indigenous TM knowledge and products • Inadequate allocation of resources for TM/CAM development and capacity building
Safety, efficacy and quality	• Lack of research methodology • Inadequate evidence-base for TM/CAM therapies and products • Lack of international and national standards for ensuring safety, efficacy and quality control of TM/CAM therapies and products • Lack of adequate regulation and registration of herbal medicines • Lack of registration of TM/CAM providers • Inadequate support for research
Access	• Lack of data measuring access levels and affordability • Need to identify safe and effective therapies and products • Lack of official recognition of role of TM/CAM providers • Lack of cooperation between TM/CAM providers and allopathic practitioners • Unsustainable use of medicinal plant resources
Rational use	• Lack of training for TM/CAM providers and on TM/CAM for allopathic practitioners • Lack of communication between TM/CAM and allopathic practitioners, and between allopathic practitioners and consumers • Lack of information for public on rational use of TM/CAM