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

Abrégé

The WHO Strategy for Traditional Medicine for 2002-2005 has been in preparation for more than three years. The objective of the strategy is to discuss the role of traditional medicine in health care systems, current challenges and opportunities and WHO's role and strategy for traditional medicine. Many Member States and many of WHO's partners in traditional medicine (UN agencies, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and global and national professional associations) contributed to the Strategy and have expressed their willingness to participate in its implementation. The Strategy was reviewed by the WHO Cabinet in July 2001 and, based on Cabinet comments, has since been revised. The Strategy was printed in January 2002. Since this is at present a working document, the proposed objectives and activities have started to be implemented in early 2002 and the Strategy will be widely disseminated. We understand that the situation in the use of traditional medicine is quite different from country to country and region to region. For example, in AFRO and in WPRO, the Member States consider that traditional medicine is a priority for health care in their regions, but in other regions the role of traditional medicine is treated as complementary or alternative medicine.

Table des matières

	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

WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy: 2002-2005

World Health Organization
Geneva

WHO/EDM/TRM/2002.1
Original: English
Distribution: General

© World Health Organization 2002

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Design & layout by Renata Kerr Design

This is the first global WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy. It was drafted following extensive consultation. However, given regional diversity in the use and role of traditional medicine, and complementary and alternative medicine, modifications may be necessary to take account of variations at regional levels. Additionally, it should be noted that difficulties persist in defining precise terminology for describing their therapies and products. The validity of related data is also frequently problematic. Methodologies used to collect data are often not comparable and parameters not clearly determined. The traditional medicine team at WHO Headquarters would therefore welcome comments on any of the data included in this strategy. They should be sent to: Dr Xiaorui Zhang, Acting Team Coordinator, Traditional Medicine, Department of Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy, World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland or emailed to: zhangx@who.int.