WHO Bulletin Launches First Special Issue on Traditional Medicine in Nearly 50 Years Ahead of Global Summit.
Geneva:
In the lead-up to the 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, scheduled for 17–19 December 2025 in New Delhi and online, the Bulletin of the World Health Organization (WHO) has released a landmark special issue dedicated to Traditional Medicine — the first of its kind since 1977.
The new issue underscores the growing global recognition of traditional medicine as an integral component of health systems and a vital contributor to health equity, scientific innovation, and sustainability. It features three news articles, two original research papers, two systematic reviews, five policy and practice papers, and five perspective pieces, reflecting a multidisciplinary examination of traditional medicine’s evolving role in modern health care.
Renewed Focus After Nearly Five Decades
The last WHO Bulletin issue devoted to traditional medicine was published in November 1977, bridging early global efforts that led to the Alma-Ata Declaration (1978), which identified traditional medicine as essential for achieving “health for all.”
Nearly half a century later, the new editorial, titled “Traditional medicine and its contributions to science, health equity and sustainability,” reaffirms that traditional medicine continues to serve as a primary source of health care for billions of people worldwide. Demand for these practices is surging — the wellness economy linked to traditional medicine is projected to expand from US$ 5.6 trillion in 2022 to US$ 8.5 trillion by 2027.
Despite this growth, the Bulletin emphasizes that less than 1% of global health research funding is currently directed toward traditional medicine. This disparity hampers the generation of robust scientific evidence and limits the development of effective regulatory frameworks needed for safe and evidence-based integration into health systems.
The publication supports the goals of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, which seeks to advance universal health coverage through people-centred and evidence-informed integration of traditional medicine into national health policies.
Bridging Traditional Knowledge and Modern Science
The issue delves into how the convergence of traditional wisdom and modern scientific inquiry can restore balance in both human and planetary health. Topics explored include:
- Global research funding and investment gaps
- Integration of traditional medicine into primary health care
- Regulatory and evidence standards
- Indigenous rights and respectful knowledge sharing
- Intellectual property and benefit-sharing mechanisms
- The use of artificial intelligence to advance research and documentation
- Policy implications of the new WHO Global Strategy
The Bulletin frames traditional medicine as more than a set of healing practices — it represents a holistic worldview, emphasizing harmony among individuals, communities, and ecosystems. Restoring this balance, it argues, is a scientific, rights-based, and sustainability imperative.
Setting the Stage for the 2nd Global Summit
The themes and findings of the Bulletin will shape discussions at the upcoming 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, to be held 17–19 December 2025 in New Delhi, India. The Summit, themed “Restoring balance: The science and practice of health and well-being,” will advance the objectives of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034.
The event will gather global leaders, policymakers, researchers, Indigenous knowledge holders, and industry representatives to address:
- Regulation and integration within national health systems
- Knowledge exchange between Indigenous Peoples and modern science
- Biodiversity conservation and protection of intellectual property rights
- The transformative role of frontier technologies, including AI
New collaborations, research initiatives, and policy commitments are expected to be unveiled. While in-person participation is by invitation only, the opening and closing ceremonies, plenaries, and parallel sessions will be streamed online to ensure global access.
The release of this special Bulletin marks a significant step toward bridging traditional knowledge and contemporary science — reaffirming WHO’s commitment to health equity, cultural respect, and sustainable innovation in the pursuit of global well-being.
