WHO Establishes Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine

The Charité Competence Center for Traditional and Integrative Medicine (CCCTIM) at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin has been officially designated as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional, Integrative, and Preventive Medicine for a duration of four years. This designation represents the first collaborating center that supports the Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in this field, establishing Berlin as a pivotal hub for traditional and integrative medicine within the WHO European Region.

This designation underscores CCCTIM’s commitment to advancing evidence-based research, promoting the integration of traditional and integrative practices within health systems, and facilitating global knowledge exchange. The associated work plan delineates three primary areas of collaboration with WHO, aligned with the latest WHO Strategy on Traditional Medicine: clinical research on integrative therapies, health system integration and policy research, and the dissemination of evidence at global traditional medicine forums. As a WHO Collaborating Centre, CCCTIM will undertake activities such as reviewing existing research, conducting pilot clinical studies, generating Real-World Evidence, analyzing healthcare utilization patterns, developing best practice implementation frameworks, contributing to policy dialogues, and supporting global platforms through publications, events, and training materials. Each of these activities is designed to directly uphold the GTMC’s mandate in accordance with the WHO Strategy on Traditional Medicine.

The Centre is co-directed by Professor Dr. med. Georg Seifert and Dr. Hiba Boujnah, who bring extensive expertise in clinical care, research methodology, health policy development, and medical documentation. The infrastructure of CCCTIM—including clinical units, research experts, documentation resources, and access to Charité’s core facilities—provides a robust foundation for implementing the four-year work plan.

This designation reflects the GTMC's commitment to delivering high-quality scientific evidence, assisting Member States in the development of effective integrative health models, and fostering global knowledge exchange in collaboration with WHO and international partners.