WHO Global Strategy on Complementary Medicine

As interest in and use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine continues to grow, the World health Organisation is for the first time to create a global strategy on use of 'traditional medicine'.

The document is designed to aid in the regulation of alternative therapies, promote their proper use and encourage more scientific research and testing. The United Nations health agency also aims to prevent pharmaceutical companies from patenting and appropriating traditional remedies, and to help nations to integrate alternative methods into their healthcare services.

Dr Jonathan Quick, director of the essential drugs and medicines policy unit at the WHO believes it is important to understand the effects of Alternative Therapies and to educate the public about their potential benefits and side-effects. "There seems to be a growing gap between what you might call the 'uncritical enthusiasts' and the 'uninformed sceptics'". According to Dr Quick, the reality lies somewhere between the two.

The WHO will shortly be releasing a report on 100 medicinal plants and herbes, their uses, proven effects and other outstanding issues.

In Europe and North America, more than half of the population have used some form of alternative medicine while in parts of Africa and the developing world, usage is higher at around 80%.

Friday, 24 May 2002