Policy implications of WHO's Global traditional medicine strategy 2025-2034

Traditional medicine is used across the world and is deeply rooted in culture, history and local practices. The World Health Organization (WHO) Global traditional medicine strategy 2025-2034 aims to enhance the contribution of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine to achieving universal health coverage by strengthening the integration of evidence-based traditional, complementary and integrative medicine into national health systems. The strategy prioritizes research to build robust evidence; establishes regulatory mechanisms to ensure safety and quality; promotes integration into health-care services; and fosters cross-sectoral collaboration to utilize traditional, complementary and integrative medicine's broader health benefits. Despite progress in integrating traditional medicine, challenges persist. For example, lack of robust research methods suited to traditional, complementary and integrative medicine hinders the generation of evidence; variations in regulatory approaches affect safety and quality; and the misappropriation of traditional knowledge raises concerns over the protection of the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Additionally, the lack of standardized models for integration of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine into health systems is an impediment. Drawing on the experience of WHO's previous strategy on traditional medicine and responding to increased international engagement, the new strategy addresses these challenges and aligns with wider global initiatives on culture, innovation, intellectual property and health governance. The strategy fosters coherence across multilateral agendas and provides a clear path to maximize the contribution of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine while ensuring its safety, quality and accessibility within health-care systems.