WHO Collaborates with Nations to Improve Safety of Traditional Medicine

The World Health Organization (WHO) convened the Interregional Training Workshop on Ensuring the Quality and Safety of Traditional, Complementary and Integrative (TCI) Medicine Products from 22–24 October 2025 in Macao SAR, China. The workshop was organized as part of WHO’s ongoing efforts to strengthen regulatory systems and promote the safe integration of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) into national health systems.

The training brought together over 40 participants from 18 countries and two Special Administrative Regions, which included Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iraq, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam, as well as Hong Kong SAR China and Macao SAR China. These participants represented the six WHO regions and included government regulators, technical experts, researchers, and representatives from WHO Collaborating Centres. They shared national experiences and explored practical approaches to quality assurance, safety monitoring, and evidence generation for Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) products.

This interregional workshop contributes directly to the implementation of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, which was endorsed by the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly earlier this year. The Strategy offers a visionary framework for countries to enhance research, regulation, and the integration of traditional medicine into health systems, aligning with the goals of universal health coverage and the WHO Fourteenth General Programme of Work.

Sessions focused on three thematic areas—research and evidence, policy and regulation, and patient safety—that together form the foundation for ensuring the quality and safety of TCIM products.

Country presentations showcased innovative approaches such as DNA barcoding and AI for herbal ingredient identification and the development of national pharmacopoeias. Speaking at the opening session, Dr. Kim Sungchol emphasized that “this workshop reflects WHO’s commitment to translating global strategies into concrete country action. By sharing practical experiences and regulatory innovations, Member States are collectively building stronger and safer systems for traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine.”

The event also marked the 10th anniversary of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine (Macao), designated in 2015. Over the past decade, the Centre has worked closely with WHO to deliver interregional and local training activities benefiting more than 3,100 professionals worldwide. In his welcome address, Dr. Lo Iek Long, Director of the Macao Health Bureau, reaffirmed Macao’s strong commitment to supporting WHO’s work in traditional medicine and to advancing regional collaboration in quality assurance and regulatory harmonization.

The outcomes of this workshop will contribute to global discussions at the upcoming 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit, where a dedicated session on “Regulation of TCIM Products” will examine methods to expedite the implementation of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034.

Through ongoing collaboration and capacity development, the WHO continues to assist Member States in ensuring that traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine products are safe, effective, and of guaranteed quality—contributing to health for everyone.