Exploring AI and Genomics in Traditional Medicine

The Second Global Summit on Traditional Medicine has commenced in New Delhi, India. Scheduled to run until the day after tomorrow, the summit has drawn a large participation of government officials, scientists, Indigenous community leaders, and practitioners of traditional medicine from over 100 countries.

The summit is expected to announce new scientific initiatives and international commitments aimed at accelerating the implementation of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy (2025–2034). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the strategy emphasizes evidence-based practice, strengthened regulation, integration into health systems, collaborative partnerships, and community engagement.

Traditional medicine encompasses both codified and non-codified systems developed prior to modern biomedicine, both of which continue to be applied in contemporary contexts. For many communities worldwide, traditional medicine remains a primary, accessible, affordable, and culturally aligned source of health care. WHO research indicates that 170 of its 194 member states report that 40–90% of their populations use traditional medicine.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated, “WHO is committed to uniting millennia of traditional knowledge with modern science and technology to ensure health for all. By harnessing innovations ranging from artificial intelligence (AI) to genomics, traditional medicine can be made safer, more effective, and sustainable.”

Traditional Medicine Surpasses Modern Approaches: Restructuring the Global Health System Becomes Imperative

More than 4.5 billion people worldwide currently lack access to essential health services, while over 2 billion face financial hardship in obtaining health care. Against this backdrop, the integration of traditional medicine into national health systems is increasingly recognized as critical to expanding accessible, affordable, and people-centred health care.

Emerging evidence indicates that integrating traditional medicine into health systems can reduce costs and improve health outcomes. Such integration contributes to disease prevention and health promotion and supports the more rational use of antibiotics.

WHO Chief Scientist Dr Sylvie Briand stated,

“We must apply the same scientific standards to the evaluation of biomedicine and traditional medicine alike, while also respecting biodiversity, cultural specificities, and ethical principles.”

Emphasis on Investment, Research, and Innovation

Traditional medicine underpins rapidly growing industries such as herbal pharmaceuticals. More than half of modern medicines and all traditional formulations originate from natural resources. Indigenous communities, who comprise approximately 6% of the global population, safeguard nearly 40% of the world’s biodiversity.

Despite its widespread use, less than 1% of global health research funding is currently allocated to traditional medicine, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). To help address this gap, WHO has launched the Traditional Medicine Global Library, the world’s first comprehensive digital repository dedicated to traditional medicine.

The Library contains more than 1.6 million scientific records, including research studies, policy documents, regulatory frameworks, and thematic collections. Developed in response to calls from Heads of State during the G20 and BRICS meetings in 2023, the platform provides free access to institutions in low-income countries. It also supports intellectual property protection, systematic documentation of traditional medicine, and the strengthening of scientific capacity to foster innovation. 

Dr Shyama Kuruvilla, Acting Director of WHO’s Global Traditional Medicine Centre, noted, “Advancing traditional medicine is an evidence-based, ethical, and environmental imperative. This Summit creates the conditions and partnerships necessary for traditional medicine to contribute at scale to the well-being of people and the planet.”

New Commitments and Expert Presentations at the Summit

The Summit is expected to announce new commitments from governments and key stakeholders. A call may also be issued for the establishment of an international consortium to accelerate the global implementation of traditional medicine strategies.

Following today’s opening ceremony, experts will present recent advances across various traditional medicine disciplines during an evening session beginning at 7:00 p.m. Each speaker will deliver a fact-based presentation of up to 10 minutes, addressing: the problem being addressed, why the problem is significant, and the proposed solution.

The objective is to clearly articulate innovation in traditional medicine while stimulating broad-based discussion and engagement.

Participation from the Himalayan Region

A traditional medicine delegation from the Himalayan region is also participating in the Summit. The group, affiliated with the Himalayan Ring Public Welfare Collaboration Mechanism, was selected through a competitive process involving nearly 2,000 candidates.

From 1,175 applications submitted globally, WHO selected 21 innovators. Among them, Dr Hong Chuan Yin, a Chinese-born practitioner based in London and widely recognized for his work in modern tongue diagnosis therapy, is scheduled to present his work today.

The collective achievements of the H-21 group have been described as “Health and Heritage Innovation,” reflecting the convergence of traditional knowledge and contemporary scientific exploration.