The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Government of India, has opened the Second Global Summit on Traditional Medicine today in New Delhi. The Summit brings together government ministers, scientists, Indigenous leaders, and traditional medicine practitioners from more than 100 countries. Over the next three days, participants will announce major scientific initiatives and new global commitments to advance the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034.
The strategy focuses on strengthening evidence, improving regulation, integrating traditional medicine into health systems, and promoting collaboration and community engagement worldwide.
Traditional Medicine: Widely Used and Deeply Rooted
Traditional medicine (TM) includes both codified and non-codified systems that predate modern biomedicine and continue to evolve for contemporary use. For many communities, TM remains the primary source of health care because it is locally accessible, affordable, and culturally aligned. At the same time, many people choose TM as a personalized and more natural health option.
Notably, nearly 90 percent of WHO Member States—170 out of 194—report that 40 to 90 percent of their populations use some form of traditional medicine.
Uniting Ancient Wisdom with Modern Science
Reaffirming WHO’s vision, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said,
“WHO is committed to uniting the wisdom of millennia with the power of modern science and technology to realize the vision of health for all. By engaging responsibly, ethically, and equitably, and by harnessing innovation—from AI to genomics—we can unlock the potential of traditional medicine to deliver safer, smarter, and more sustainable health solutions for every community and for our planet.”
Strengthening Evidence, Regulation, and Health System Integration
At a time when global health systems face growing strain, nearly 4.6 billion people lack access to essential health services, while over 2 billion people experience financial hardship in accessing care. Against this backdrop, integrating traditional medicine into national health systems becomes critical to expanding access, choice, and affordability, while advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Emerging evidence shows that integrating TM can improve health outcomes and deliver cost efficiencies. Moreover, TM emphasizes prevention and health promotion, which can also contribute to more appropriate use of antibiotics and broader public health benefits.
Applying Scientific Rigor and Advanced Technologies
Effective integration, however, requires strong scientific validation, global quality and safety standards, and robust regulatory frameworks. Emphasizing this need, Dr Sylvie Briand, WHO Chief Scientist, stated,
“We must apply the same scientific rigor to the assessment and validation of biomedicine and traditional medicines, while respecting biodiversity, cultural specificities, and ethical principles. Stronger collaboration and frontier technologies—such as AI, genomics, systems biology, neurosciences, and advanced data analytics—can transform how we study and apply traditional medicine.”
Driving Innovation, Investment, and Sustainable Benefits
Traditional medicine also underpins fast-growing global industries, particularly herbal medicines. Importantly, all TM formulations and more than half of biomedical pharmaceuticals originate from natural resources, which remain essential for new drug discovery.
Indigenous Peoples, who represent only 6 percent of the global population, safeguard nearly 40 percent of the world’s biodiversity. Therefore, advancing traditional medicine must also address Indigenous rights, fair trade, and equitable benefit-sharing.
Despite its widespread use and importance, less than 1 percent of global health research funding currently supports traditional medicine. This funding gap limits scientific validation, innovation, and policy integration.
Launch of the Traditional Medicine Global Library
To address these gaps, WHO has launched the Traditional Medicine Global Library, the first comprehensive digital repository of its kind. The library includes more than 1.6 million scientific records, covering research, policies, regulations, and thematic collections across diverse traditional medicine systems.
Developed in response to calls from Heads of State during G20 and BRICS meetings in 2023, the library also provides equitable online access to peer-reviewed content for institutions in lower-income countries through the Research4Life initiative. In addition, it supports countries in documenting traditional medicine with intellectual property protections and in building scientific capacity for innovation.
Advancing a Global, Ethical, and Environmental Imperative
Highlighting the broader significance of the initiative, Dr Shyama Kuruvilla, Director a.i. of WHO’s Global Traditional Medicine Centre, said,
“Advancing traditional medicine is an evidence-based, ethical, and environmental imperative. The Global Summit creates the conditions and collaborations required for traditional medicine to contribute at scale to the flourishing of people and the planet.”
Looking Ahead: Commitments and Global Collaboration
As per the WHO Press release, the Summit, being held from 17 to 19 December 2025, will also announce new commitments from governments and stakeholders. In addition, WHO will issue a call to establish a global consortium to address systemic gaps and accelerate large-scale implementation of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy.
Through this Summit, WHO and its partners aim to position traditional medicine as a scientifically validated, responsibly regulated, and globally integrated pillar of modern health care.