Global recognition for integrative approaches - WHO Strategy for Traditional Medicine 2025–2034: Turning point or premature ?

🌍 What happened?

At the 77th World Health Assembly in early May 2025, the WHO adopted the "Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034." The goal: to establish traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) as a valid and sustainable component of global health systems.

Why is this important?

• Recognize global reality: Around 40% of pharmaceutical active ingredients come from traditional healing methods.

• Safeguarding Indigenous Knowledge: WHO will protect and honor indigenous healing traditions

• Initiate small, targeted research: Where evidence is lacking – for example in herbal therapies – research comes into focus.

Critics and Risks

• Scientific Claim v.s. Healing Tradition: While the EU and Switzerland emphasize that "vague" tradition Civil society groups warn against the dominance of Western evidence criteria over indigenous epistemic models.

• Funding problem: WHO has not increased its own budget for TCIM – it is up to Member States to provide funds.

• Sustainability conflict: NGOs criticize that the strategy does not explicitly prohibit the use of endangered animal species in medicinal products.

  
  

What does this mean for Germany?

• Our healthcare system is highly modern, but expensive, fragmented, and not very human-centered. The WHO strategy provides concrete impetus:

• Not more money, but better distribution: More impact – humane, ecological, and economic. Evaluated integration: Only TCIM procedures with validated effectiveness should be formally incorporated into rehabilitation, primary care, or prevention. Strengthening health literacy: People must be empowered to make informed decisions about TCIM – the keyword is shared decision-making. Strict regulation: From product safety to practical training, diagnostics, and liability.Was bedeutet das für Deutschland?

Our Vision at Firewalk Berlin

For us, the WHO strategy is a clear boost:

• We advocate for human-centered healing spaces where body, mind, and culture are connected.

• We practice mindfulness, movement, and rituals—meaningful elements that work beyond purely biomedical parameters.

• We are prepared to create evidence-based knowledge through systematic reflection, self-experimentation, and cooperation with research and evaluation.

• We advocate for sustainable and ethical practices (e.g., with herbs) that are sensitive to health traditions.

  
  

  But: It takes more than just us. Germany should:

  1. Promote TCIM research (e.g., funding programs, universities)

  2. Create regulations (guidelines, training)

  3. Open up systems (rehabilitation, prevention programs, government agencies)

  4. Take people seriously: including cultural sensitivity and health literacy

     
     

     Progress begins here

     • Sharing helps – let's fuel the dialogue!

     • Support is possible – initiate petitions, parliamentary debates, and cooperation with health insurance companies.

     • Let's move forward together – because it's not about more, but better. And yes: the system and the resources are there.

       
       

       Thank you for supporting and spreading this momentum – with heart and mind.