WHO global report on traditional, complementary and integrative medicine 2024
Overview
The first WHO survey on traditional medicine focused on national policies for traditional medicine and complementary and alternative medicine, as well as the regulation of herbal medicines. These policies and regulations were intended to ensure the safety, quality, and efficacy of these services and products, serving as an important step towards integrative health-care systems. The survey included a total of 21 questionnaire items.
The second WHO survey on traditional medicine expanded to include national policies and regulations for traditional and complementary medicine. A new Section III on practice, providers, education, and health insurance was added to reflect emerging trends in these areas. This survey consisted of a total of 39 questionnaire items.
The third WHO survey on traditional, complementary and integrative medicine included 64 main questionnaire items, with several sub-questions. The 2023 traditional, complementary and integrative medicine survey gathered information and data from WHO Member States on a range of topics, from the governance of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine health services to patient satisfaction with the traditional, complementary and integrative medicine available to them. It covered not only the availability of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine facilities, workforce, and products but also efforts to ensure their quality and suitable models for service delivery. This included quality assurance processes to ensure that traditional, complementary and integrative medicine services are available, accessible, of good quality, and safe.
This report includes data from the first, second, and third surveys, with some items coming from the second and third global surveys. New items introduced for the first time in the third global survey reflect responses from 106 Member States that completed the survey. An online platform is available for the continued submission of new and updated data from Member States.
