Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicines.

Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicines (TCIM) – a designation used by the World Health Organization (WHO) – refers to a broad set of healthcare practices based on theories and experiences from different cultures, used for health promotion, prevention, and recovery, taking into consideration the whole individual in all their dimensions. TCIM constitutes an important healthcare model, being the primary service offering in many countries. In other countries, their integration into healthcare systems occurs in a complementary manner to conventional systems.

In the Americas, the integration of Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicines (TCIM) into national healthcare systems occurs through multiple avenues: governmental initiatives, the involvement of different entities working on organizing and regulating the provision, training, research, promotion, and delivery of TCIM services. Countries like Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru have legislation, models, and/or norms in place for the regulation of TCIM.

Traditional Medicine

Traditional medicine has a long history, ancestry, or tradition. It encompasses a body of knowledge, skills, and practices based on theories, beliefs, and experiences from different cultures, whether or not these can be explained by current scientific methods. Traditional medicine is used to maintain health and prevent, diagnose, improve, or treat physical and mental illnesses – according to the WHO.

Complementary Medicine

The terms "complementary medicine" and "alternative medicine" refer to a broad set of health practices that are not part of a country's traditional or conventional medicine and are not fully integrated into the existing healthcare system. According to the WHO, in some countries, these terms are used interchangeably to refer to traditional medicine.

Integrative Medicine

In mid-2017, the WHO's Traditional Medicine and Complementary Medicine Technical Unit added the term "Integrative Medicine" for integrative approaches to TCIM and conventional medicine concerning policies, knowledge, and practice.

A project is underway to define and better understand this integration, as well as integrative medicine, and to provide guidance to Member States on the criteria and elements of best practices for integrating TCIM into national healthcare systems.

Integrative healthcare often brings together conventional and complementary approaches in a coordinated manner. It emphasizes a holistic and patient-centered approach to healthcare and well-being - often including mental, emotional, functional, spiritual, social, and community aspects – treating the person as a whole and not just their isolated condition/illness.

Key facts:

Traditional, complementary, and integrative medicines constitute an important healthcare model by considering the individual in their entirety, uniqueness, and complexity, taking into account their sociocultural context with an emphasis on the professional/user relationship, which contributes to humanizing care.

Each country has its own variety of recognized and institutionalized practices or considers a particular practice differently from another country, taking into account its sociocultural context and specificities.

TCIM promotes a broadened view of the health/illness process and global health promotion, especially self-care; they also act to empower individuals, fostering awareness of the illness processes. Thus, it enables the rational use of health actions and services, with an impact on healthcare system costs.

Brazil is a global reference in the field of TCIM regarding the integration of these practices into the public healthcare system.