WHO, ICD-11 and the International Recognition of Traditional Medicine
What the World Health Organization's traditional medicine strategies and the ICD-11 traditional medicine chapter say, and what international recognition does and does not mean.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
The WHO traditional medicine strategies
- 2014 to 2023. The strategy for this period was developed in response to a World Health Assembly resolution (WHA62.13). It aimed to help countries build policies and action plans, with more attention to health services and systems, including products, practices and practitioners. [1]
- 2025 to 2034. In 2023 the World Health Assembly asked for a new strategy. WHO describes the result as a vision of universal access to safe, effective and people-centred traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCIM), with four objectives: strengthen evidence, ensure safety and regulation, integrate TCIM into health systems, and optimize its cross-sectoral value. [2]
- Adoption. Member States agreed the strategy on 26 May 2025 at the 78th World Health Assembly. WHO's summary says delegates discussed building the evidence base, regulation for quality and safety, integrated service models where appropriate, and qualified practitioners. [3]
- How common. WHO's Global Traditional Medicine Centre says around 90% of WHO Member States have reported on the use of traditional medicine and asked for robust evidence and data to guide policy, practice and regulation. [4]
The Global Traditional Medicine Centre
WHO set up this centre in 2022 with foundational support from the Government of India, and it is based in Jamnagar, Gujarat. [4] It works on research, knowledge sharing, biodiversity and partnerships. [4] A 2026 WHO research agenda says traditional, complementary and integrative medicine is used by billions of people yet receives less than 1% of global health research funding. [5] A separate WHO framework describes four ways countries integrate TCIM (people-led, practitioner-led, coordinated and blended). [6]ICD-11 and traditional medicine
ICD-11 is the international system used to record diseases and health conditions.- What it is. WHO describes a separate chapter, for optional use, that lists diagnostic categories so traditional medicine conditions can be collected and reported in a standard, internationally comparable way. [7]
- Scope. The first module covers traditional medicine conditions that originated in ancient China and are now commonly used in China, Japan, Korea and elsewhere. [7]
- Use. It is used only for optional dual coding in morbidity data (for example reporting, reimbursement, patient safety and research), not for deaths. [7]
- What it does not do. WHO states that the chapter is neither judging nor endorsing the scientific validity of any traditional medicine practice or the efficacy of any intervention. [7] It can, however, provide the means for research to establish efficacy. [7]
- Other modules. WHO's FAQ says a second module based on Ayurveda has been started, and WHO's February 2025 ICD-11 update lists a new module covering Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. [7][8]
What recognition does and does not mean
| Question | What the WHO material says | Evidence label |
|---|---|---|
| Is traditional medicine widely used? | About 90% of Member States report use [4] | Established (survey reporting) |
| Does WHO endorse specific TCM treatments through ICD-11? | No; the chapter does not judge or endorse efficacy [7] | Established (WHO statement) |
| Should traditional products be tested? | WHO's Africa office said in 2020 that efficacy and safety should be established by rigorous trials even for natural, traditional products [9] | Established (WHO position) |
| Is there enough research? | WHO says it gets under 1% of global health research funding [5] | Established (WHO analysis) |
Using this page
International recognition tells you about policy, data and regulation, not about whether a herb or technique works for you. For what trials found, see TCM evidence by use. For WHO reports that mention Chinese medicine, see WHO reports and guidelines. For how a traditional framework differs from a biomedical explanation, see traditional frameworks vs biomedical explanations. Do not use TCM to replace or delay conventional care. [10]
Frequently asked questions
Does WHO recognize Traditional Chinese Medicine?
WHO has a global strategy covering traditional, complementary and integrative medicine, and an optional ICD-11 chapter whose first module covers conditions that originated in ancient China. [2][7] This is recognition of use and a need for evidence, not approval of treatments.
Does ICD-11 prove that TCM diagnoses are real?
No. WHO says the chapter does not judge the scientific validity of any traditional medicine practice. [7] It exists to count and compare conditions.
Is the ICD-11 traditional medicine chapter compulsory?
No. WHO describes it as optional and says it is used for dual coding in morbidity data, not for mortality. [7]
What is the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre?
It is a WHO department set up in 2022, outposted to Jamnagar, India, that acts as a knowledge hub for research, health systems, sustainability and innovation in traditional medicine. [4]
Has WHO said anything about traditional medicine and COVID-19?
In 2020 WHO's Africa office welcomed testing traditional medicines for COVID-19 but said they must be tested for efficacy and side effects to the same standards as other medicines. [9] Our page on TCM and COVID-19 covers what trials found.
References
- World Health Organization. WHO traditional medicine strategy: 2014-2023. Read 2026-10-22.
- World Health Organization. Global traditional medicine strategy 2025-2034. Read 2026-10-22.
- World Health Organization. WHA78: Traditional medicine takes centre stage (2 June 2025). Read 2026-10-22.
- World Health Organization. WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre. Read 2026-10-22.
- World Health Organization. WHO global research priorities and agenda for traditional, complementary and integrative medicine 2025–2034. Read 2026-10-22.
- World Health Organization. Integration of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine into health systems: conceptual framework. Read 2026-10-22.
- World Health Organization. Frequently asked questions: Traditional medicine (ICD-11). Read 2026-10-22.
- World Health Organization. WHO releases 2025 update to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) (14 February 2025)). Read 2026-10-22.
- WHO Regional Office for Africa. WHO supports scientifically-proven traditional medicine (4 May 2020). Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Traditional Chinese Medicine: What You Need To Know (last updated April 2019). Read 2026-10-22.