In the run up to the 2nd WHO Global Summit in Traditional Medicine, 17-29 December in New Delhi and online, the Bulletin of the World Health Organization (WHO) has released a special issue dedicated to Traditional Medicine. The first such thematic issue on this topic since 1977, the issue contains three news items, two original research papers, two systematic reviews, five policy and practice papers, and five perspective pieces. The special issue reviews the integration of traditional medicine into primary health care, delves into policy and practice, discusses Indigenous rights and traditional knowledge, and examines the use of artificial intelligence.
A growing need for robust research
The last thematic issue of a WHO Bulletin focused on traditional medicine was published almost 50 years ago in November 1977. It bridged the gap between the establishment of the WHO Traditional Medicine working group in 1976 and the Alma-Ata conference in 1978 , where traditional medicine was positioned as essential to achieving health for all – the goal of WHO.
The latest Bulletin's editorial, " Traditional medicine and its contributions to science, health equity and sustainability ", confirms that traditional medicine continues to be a vital resource for billions of people worldwide, serving as either primary access or preferred choice for health and well-being needs. Demand for traditional medicine is also growing, with the associated wellness economy estimated to increase from US$ 5.6 trillion in 2022 to US$ 8.5 trillion by 2027.
To harness the potential of traditional medicine, more robust scientific evidence and regulatory frameworks are needed. The Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 aims to advance universal health coverage by ensuring people-centred, safe and effective integration of evidence-informed traditional medicine into national health systems. However, as highlighted in the Bulletin's editorial, less than 1% of global health research funding is dedicated to traditional medicine – an inequity that undermines efforts to build the required evidence base.
Restoring balance through innovative scientific inquiry
The WHO Bulletin explores how the nexus of traditional medicine and modern science can restore balance and catalyse essential breakthroughs for the health and well-being of people and the planet. Comprehensive topics include global research funding; the use of traditional medicine to treat specific conditions and its use in specific regions; integration into primary health-care systems; regulatory frameworks and evidence requirements; Indigenous Peoples' rights and respectful knowledge exchange; intellectual property rights and equitable benefit-sharing; artificial intelligence; and policy implications of the new WHO Global Strategy.
The Bulletin shows that traditional medicine is more than a collection of therapies; it represents a worldview in which health is harmony within and between individuals, communities and ecosystems. Restoring this balance is a scientific, rights-based and sustainability imperative.
The second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine
The issues covered in the WHO Bulletin will take centre stage at the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine , to be held from 17–19 December 2025, in New Delhi, India. The Summit will convene under the theme of "Restoring balance: The science and practice of health and well-being"with the aim of advancing the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 .
The Summit's agenda will cover the latest evidence and innovations, and will address critical issues including health systems regulation and integration; respectful information exchange with Indigenous Peoples and across knowledge paradigms; biodiversity preservation and intellectual property rights; and the transformative potential of frontier technologies. New products, collaborations and initiatives will be presented, alongside concrete pledges and commitments. On-site attendance is limited and by invitation only, but the opening and closing ceremony, plenary and parallel sessions will be streamed online.
Read the Bulletin and register now to join the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine online.
