WHO Launches 10-Year Research Agenda for Traditional Medicine
Geneva/New Delhi, September 22, 2026: The World Health Organization (WHO) has introduced a new 10-year research agenda for traditional, complementary and integrative medicine, with research priorities covering major health conditions including stroke, cancer, mental health disorders and pain management.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening scientific research into traditional medicine and generating evidence that can help determine which approaches may have a role alongside conventional healthcare.
According to the latest report, the WHO wants research over the next decade to focus on areas where traditional and complementary approaches could potentially contribute to healthcare, while placing greater emphasis on scientific evidence, safety, quality and effectiveness.
The move comes as interest in traditional medicine continues to grow internationally. Rather than treating traditional practices as automatically effective, the research agenda seeks to encourage systematic investigation so that healthcare professionals and policymakers can make decisions based on evidence.
Focus on major health conditions
The WHO’s research priorities include conditions that affect millions of people worldwide. These include cardiovascular and neurological conditions such as stroke, cancer, mental-health problems and chronic pain.
Researchers are expected to examine traditional and complementary interventions through appropriate scientific methods, including studies of their safety, effectiveness and possible integration with existing healthcare services.
Evidence remains central
The WHO’s approach places emphasis on generating reliable evidence. Traditional or complementary treatments that are investigated through the programme would still need to be assessed for potential benefits and risks.
This distinction is important because the existence of a traditional practice does not by itself establish that it is effective or safe for a particular medical condition.
Growing global interest
The WHO’s latest initiative reflects the growing international interest in traditional and complementary medicine and the need for stronger research in the field.
The organisation has previously called for traditional medicine to be studied more systematically and for countries to develop appropriate regulatory and research frameworks. Its latest 10-year agenda is intended to provide direction for research priorities through the coming decade.
What the research could mean for healthcare
If high-quality studies establish that particular traditional approaches are safe and effective for specific conditions, they could potentially be considered as complementary options within healthcare systems.
However, the research process will be important in determining which practices have sufficient evidence and which do not.
The WHO’s initiative therefore represents a research-focused approach: traditional medicine is being examined through scientific evidence rather than assumed to be effective simply because it has been used historically.
