WHO Perspectives on medicines Traditional medicine 2 Growing needs and Potential n0.2ma2002 orld Health Organization pulations throughout Africa, Asia and Latin erica use traditional medicine (TM) to help Figure 1 Many developing country populations use TM to help their primary health care needs. As well as be- meet health care needs, while many populations in developed ing accessible and affordable, TM is also often part countries have used CAM at least once of a wider belief system, and considered integral to everyday life and well-being. Meanwhile, in Australia Europe and North America, "complementary and alternative medicine"(CAM)' is increasingly used in Populat parallel to allopathic medicine, particularly for treat traditional medicine India ing and managing chronic disease. Concern about for primary health Rwanda the adverse effects of chemical medicines a desire Tanzania for more personalized health care and greater public access to health information fuel this increased use Populations in Canada (Figure 1: Box 1) But widespread and growing use of TM has createdwmoldve sentries developed countriesAustralia public health challenges in terms of: policy: safety, complementary and efficacy and quality: access; and rational use alternative medicine (Box 2). Policy-makers, health care providers, TM Belgium providers and nongovernmental organizations NGOs) can respond to these challenges, however, Sources: Eisenberg DM ef al 1998: Fisher P& Ward A 1994: Health Canada, 200i and help develop the potential of TM as a source o World Health Organization, 1998; and government reports submitted to WHO health care( Box 3) Box 1 What is traditional medicine? Traditional medicine includes diverse health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and/or mineral ased medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to maintain well-being as well as to treat, diagnose or prevent illness. Commonly used therapies and therapeutic techniques Chinese Ayurveda Unani Naturopathy Osteopathy Homeopathy Chiropractic Herbal medicines Acupuncture/acupressur Manual therapies Spiritual therapies rates this therapy/therapeutic technique a sometimes incorporates this therapy/therapeutic technique D s incorporates therapeutic touch traditional medicine"(TM)is used throughout most of this paper. But in some developed countries, the term'comp medicine"(CAM) is used where the dominant health care system is based on allopathic medicine, or where TM has not been incorporated into the 2 Traditional medicine practitioners are generally understood to be nal healers, bone setters, herbalists, etc. Traditional medicine providers include both traditional medicine practitioners and allopathic medicine professionals such as doctors, dentists and nurses who provide TM/CAM therapies to their atients-e.g. many allopathic doctors also use acupuncture to treat their patients. Page 1: WHO Policy Perspectives on edicines- Traditional medicine -Growing needs and PotentialPage 1: WHO Policy Perspectives on Medicines — Traditional Medicine – Growing Needs and Potential WHO Policy Perspectives on Medicines No. 2 May 2002 World Health Organization Geneva Traditional Medicine – Growing Needs and Potential Populations throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America use traditional medicine (TM) to help meet their primary health care needs. As well as be￾ing accessible and affordable, TM is also often part of a wider belief system, and considered integral to everyday life and well-being. Meanwhile, in Australia, Europe and North America, “complementary and alternative medicine” (CAM)1 is increasingly used in parallel to allopathic medicine, particularly for treat￾ing and managing chronic disease. Concern about the adverse effects of chemical medicines, a desire for more personalized health care and greater public access to health information, fuel this increased use (Figure 1; Box 1). But widespread and growing use of TM has created public health challenges in terms of: policy; safety, efficacy and quality; access; and rational use (Box 2). Policy-makers, health care providers, TM providers2 and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) can respond to these challenges, however, and help develop the potential of TM as a source of health care (Box 3). Benin India Rwanda Tanzania Uganda Canada Australia France USA Belgium Ethiopia 90% 70% 70% 70% 60% 60% 70% 48% 49% 42% 31% Populations in developed countries who have used complementary and alternative medicine at least once Populations using traditional medicine for primary health care Sources: Eisenberg DM et al, 1998; Fisher P & Ward A, 1994; Health Canada, 2001; World Health Organization, 1998; and government reports submitted to WHO. Figure 1 Many developing country populations use TM to help meet health care needs, while many populations in developed countries have used CAM at least once Box 1 What is traditional medicine? Traditional medicine includes diverse health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and/or mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to maintain well-being, as well as to treat, diagnose or prevent illness. Commonly used therapies and therapeutic techniques Chinese Ayurveda Unani Naturopathy Osteopathy Homeopathy Chiropractic Medicine Herbal medicines Acupuncture/acupressure Manual therapies Spiritual therapies Exercises = commonly incorporates this therapy/therapeutic technique = sometimes incorporates this therapy/therapeutic technique = incorporates therapeutic touch 1 The term “traditional medicine” (TM) is used throughout most of this paper. But in some developed countries, the term “complementary and alternative medicine” (CAM) is used where the dominant health care system is based on allopathic medicine, or where TM has not been incorporated into the national health care system. 2 Traditional medicine practitioners are generally understood to be traditional healers, bone setters, herbalists, etc. Traditional medicine providers include both traditional medicine practitioners and allopathic medicine professionals such as doctors, dentists and nurses who provide TM/CAM therapies to their patients – e.g. many allopathic doctors also use acupuncture to treat their patients