WHO is hosting the second Global Summit on Advancing Evidence, Integration and Innovation for Traditional Medicine

World Health Organization (WHO). Second Global Summit on Traditional Medicinejointly organized with the Government of India, opens today, bringing together government ministers, scholars, indigenous leaders and practitioners from more than 100 countries. The summit is expected to announce major scientific initiatives and new commitments aimed at improving implementation Global strategy of traditional medicine of the World Health Organization 2025-2034focused on stronger evidence, better regulation, systems integration, collaboration and community engagement.

Traditional medicine (TM) encompasses codified and uncodified systems that predate biomedicine and have continued to evolve for contemporary use. For many, TM remains the primary source of health care—locally available, accessible, and bio-culturally attuned—and for many others, it is a preferred, personalized, and more natural health option. Almost 90% of WHO member countries (170 out of 194) report that 40-90% of their population use TM.

“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,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “By engaging responsibly, ethically and fairly, and harnessing innovations from artificial intelligence to genomics, we can unlock the potential of traditional medicine to provide safer, smarter and more sustainable health solutions for every community and for our planet.”

Strengthening evidence, regulation and integration of TM into health systems

In a world facing increasing challenges to health systems, almost half of the global population – 4.6 billion – do not have access to basic health services, while a quarter – over 2 billion people – experience financial difficulties to access health care. Integrating TM into health systems is critical to expanding access and choice of affordable, people-centered health care and advancing UHC, ensuring that everyone can get the health care they need without financial hardship.

Emerging evidence shows that integrating TM into healthcare systems can provide cost-effectiveness and improve health outcomes. Such integration emphasizes prevention and health promotion, contributing to broader health benefits such as more appropriate use of antibiotics.

Achieving effective integration requires strong science, global standards for quality and safety, and strong regulatory mechanisms. “We must apply the same scientific rigor to the assessment and validation of biomedicine and traditional medicines, respecting biodiversity, cultural specificities and ethical principles,” said Dr. Sylvie Briand, WHO's Chief Scientist. “Stronger collaboration and advanced technologies—such as artificial intelligence, genomics, systems biology, neuroscience, and advanced data analytics—can transform the way we study and apply traditional medicine.”

Enhancing innovation, investment and sustainable benefits

TM supports fast-growing global industries, such as herbal medicines. All TM formulations, as well as more than half of biomedical drugs, are derived from natural sources, which remain a vital source for new drug discovery. Indigenous peoples preserve about 40% of the world's biodiversity while representing only 6% of the world's population. Advancing TM requires addressing issues of indigenous rights, fair trade and benefit sharing.

Despite TM's widespread use and vital role in natural resource management for health and well-being, less than 1% of global health research funding is dedicated to TM. To help close gaps in knowledge and research, WHO is launching the Global Library of Traditional Medicine, the first of its kind, containing more than 1.6 million scientific records covering research, policy, regulations and thematic collections on various applications of TM.

Developed in response to invitations from heads of state during the 2023 G20 and BRICS meetings, the Library also provides peer-reviewed online access to institutions in lower-income countries through the Research4Life initiative. It also supports countries in documenting TM with intellectual property protection and in building scientific capacities to encourage innovation.

“Advancing traditional medicine is an evidence-based, ethical and environmental imperative,” said Dr. Shyama Kuruvilla, Acting Director of the World Health Organization's Global Center for Traditional Medicine. “The Global Summit fosters the conditions and cooperation necessary for TM to contribute at scale to the flourishing of all people and the planet.”

The Summit (December 17-19, 2025, New Delhi) will also announce new commitments from governments and other stakeholders, along with a call for a global consortium to address systemic gaps and accelerate implementation of the Global TM Strategy at scale.