Agenda

This parallel session explores the role of Traditional Medicine within the broader continuum of health knowledge – examining how such knowledge has evolved and continues to evolve over time and how equitable, non-exploitative access to it might be strengthened. The session will look at Traditional Medicine as a diverse, living system that continues to adapt in relation to biomedicine. The session will explore the barriers and enablers to recognizing plural evidence models, consider what traditional health knowledge might mean when viewed through both ancestral and contemporary lenses, and trace how certain knowledge systems came to dominate global health while others were marginalized. As importantly, the session will consider how technology and innovation can be used to restore and expand access to diverse knowledge systems and reflect on how digitization and other tools can support the acknowledgement and encouragement of Traditional Medicine knowledge without promoting its assimilation or appropriation.

This parallel session aims to facilitate dialogue on equitable, legal, social and ethical frameworks for accessing and utilizing Traditional Medicine knowledge (TMK). It will examine critical questions such as who controls TMK, who benefits from it and who is left behind. Participants will explore historical and contemporary drivers of imbalance in access and benefit-sharing (ABS) – from colonization and commodification to intellectual property regimes and inequitable global markets, while identifying examples of fair benefit-sharing and equitable governance from around the world that illustrate both the harms of exclusion and the promise of equitable sharing. Panellists will reflect on power, rights and justice in the governance of knowledge, and propose strategies that ensure reward for knowledge holders, practitioners and communities. The session will also examine what could have been possible if such imbalances had not existed, and how pathways of restitution, recognition and fair benefit-sharing can be created.

This parallel session is interested in the role of Traditional Medicine and traditional understandings of health, well-being and healing in ecosystem stewardship, with an aim towards understanding how Traditional Medicine can contribute to the restoration of human–ecosystem balance. The session seeks to explore the foundations of human–ecosystem balance, disruptions to and gaps in this balance, current contributions and innovations to improve balance, and pathways for future action. The session will solicit viewpoints from speakers who work from within existing frameworks for holistic human and planetary health and well-being, including Planetary Health, One Health and Indigenous and other traditional knowledge paradigms.

This parallel session seeks to analyse governance models, equity-focused policies and resource allocation strategies for Traditional Medicine integration, as well as showcase innovative mechanisms and equity-driven reforms to scale the sustainability of Traditional Medicine.

This parallel session will translate key findings from the WHO Traditional Medicine Research Roadmap into actionable insights that support the implementation of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034. The session aims to strengthen the global research ecosystem for Traditional Medicine by addressing complexity, codification and capacity-building through regionally diverse case studies and expert presentations. It will explore how Traditional Medicine research can align with the Sustainable Development Goals, support people-centred and culturally responsive care, and contribute to health system integration and economic evaluation. Through a moderated panel discussion, the session will foster cross-sector dialogue and global collaboration, empowering researchers, policy-makers and communities to co-design inclusive, sustainable and impactful research agendas.

This parallel session will examine methodological frameworks and innovative research approaches that are paradigmatically aligned with Traditional Medicine systems of knowledge and practice. It will cover conventional and innovative methods and strategies across a range of research paradigms. This encompasses rigorous and real-world focused clinical trials (including multimodal and whole systems designs with dual Traditional Medicine and biomedical diagnoses); transdisciplinary preclinical designs focused on complexity and synergy; social science and implementation studies using a range of theoretical approaches; and groundbreaking decolonial Indigenous methodologies. Discussions will address barriers and enablers for research production and application, as well as ethical considerations and strategies to combat misinformation. The session aims to equip researchers, practitioners, decision-makers and other interest-holders with robust, culturally appropriate and scientifically credible inquiry methods, as well as effective modes of translating evidence in policy and practice. This session aligns with Strategic Objective 1 of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034.

This parallel session explores how Traditional Medicine contributes to well-being across the life course, with evidence on mental health, pain management, cancer care, self-care, antibiotic resistance and personalized strategies for healthy lifespans. It examines mechanisms linking Traditional Medicine practices and Indigenous wisdom with biomedical frontiers. The session aims to showcase practical applications, promote informed and safe health choices, and identify policy pathways for scaling access and ensuring equity. Ultimately, it positions the science of well-being as a bridge between ancient knowledge and innovation, demonstrating how Traditional Medicine can strengthen individuals, communities and health systems globally. Expected outputs include actionable recommendations for research priorities, policy pathways and collaborative mechanisms that position Traditional Medicine as a credible and equitable contributor to global well-being and health system resilience.

This parallel session explores the concept of innovation within Traditional Medicine and how innovations can move from local practice to global impact. It tackles the innovation-to-investment continuum for Traditional Medicine, examining whether and why innovation is necessary, how ideas become validated solutions, how to design fair and rigorous criteria for evaluating innovations, and how to mobilize investments that can be scaled up to improve access and universal health coverage for both health and economic returns. With a focus on governance, equity and scale, the discussion will highlight pathways to transform Traditional Medicine’s potential into sustainable health solutions for all.

This parallel session aims to advance global understanding of the scientific and practical value of meditation as a key component of health and well-being. It will synthesize the latest neuroscientific, clinical and public health evidence on meditation; explore its impact on mental, physical and social well-being across the life course; and highlight opportunities to integrate meditation into policy, practice and education. By bringing together researchers, policy-makers and practitioners, the session will identify pathways for institutionalizing meditation within national health systems, community programmes, workplaces and schools. It will promote informed recommendations for policy integration, strengthen cross-sector collaboration and identify research and practice gaps to guide future investment, innovation and partnerships in this evolving field.

This parallel session aims to deepen understanding of the diverse pathways for integrating Traditional Medicine into national health systems, as set out in a new WHO conceptual framework. By examining four distinct models – people-led, practitioner-led, coordinated and blended – the session will provide a comparative lens to explore how decentralized and centralized approaches can strengthen health service delivery, governance, financing and workforce development. Through case examples and cross-country insights, participants will gain practical perspectives on how integration models can advance universal health coverage, respond to people’s health-seeking behaviours, and contribute to resilient, inclusive and sustainable health systems that embody the conference theme of restoring balance for people and the planet.

This parallel session aims to advance the agenda of quality and patient safety in Traditional Medicine as a foundation for its safe and effective integration into health systems. Building on WHO’s work on quality and patient safety, the discussion will highlight countries’ experiences regarding the role of education and training in strengthening practitioner competence and ethical standards; mechanisms for enhancing patient safety; and systems for accrediting Traditional Medicine health facilities. Through the exchange of international experiences, the session will identify pathways for integrating Traditional Medicine in ways that are effective, people-centred, safe and aligned with universal health coverage goals.

This parallel session aims to advance the global dialogue on regulatory approaches in Traditional Medicine products to ensure quality, safety, efficacy and equitable access. Building on WHO’s work in governance and standard setting, the session will highlight the role of robust regulatory frameworks in safeguarding public health, fostering trust and supporting innovation. Discussions will focus on models for regulating Traditional Medicine products; mechanisms for market authorization and post-market surveillance; and strategies for addressing challenges such as cross-border trade, digital health applications and protection of traditional knowledge. By showcasing country experiences and emerging best practices, the session will identify pathways for strengthening regulatory systems that enable responsible integration of evidence-based Traditional Medicine into national health policies, aligned with universal health coverage, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034.

This parallel session will focus on strengthening the foundations of Traditional Medicine integration through education, evidence-based practices and regulatory approaches that support resilient health systems. Discussions will explore models for regulating Traditional Medicine practitioners to ensure minimum standards of education and practice, promote accountability and ethical conduct, and support broader health system goals. The session will also highlight the role of education and continuous professional development in embedding evidence-based practice and fostering safe, effective and culturally responsive care. In addition, participants will examine the development and application of clinical practice guidelines that align Traditional Medicine with patient safety priorities and health system standards. A key focus will be on how evidence-based Traditional Medicine can enhance system resilience by ensuring continuity of care in routine settings while strengthening preparedness and response in times of crisis.

This parallel session explores how WHO tools enable standardized, interoperable Traditional Medicine data to strengthen measurement, accountability and governance. The session will introduce the Traditional Medicine Data Pathway, linking the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) and International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI) coding systems, the WHO Minimum Data Set for Traditional Medicine (MDS-TM-RHIS), the World Health Survey Plus (WHS+) Traditional Medicine module and Traditional Medicine health expenditure tracking to demonstrate how harmonized data can inform evidence-based policymaking and transparent resource allocation. It will also examine how this data initiative ultimately connects to the WHO Traditional Medicine Data Network (TMDN) led by the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre to showcase global value. Embodying the Summit’s theme of restoring balance, it connects scientific rigour with the holistic principles of Traditional Medicine, integrating traditional knowledge into health information systems to promote individual, societal and environmental balance.

This parallel session explores how responsible, inclusive and ethical digital transformation can restore balance between technology and tradition, enhancing the quality, safety and accessibility of Traditional Medicine. Participants will examine how artificial intelligence (AI) can harmonize scientific and traditional knowledge, promote equitable access and foster people-centred innovation. The discussion will bridge policy and practice, advancing safe, evidence-based and sustainable AI-driven Traditional Medicine aligned with WHO’s global strategy for universal health coverage and innovation.

This parallel session aims to advance the operationalization of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034. Building on insights generated during the 2025 World Health Summit (WHS) dialogue on operationalizing the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy, this session focuses on defining how progress will be measured, reported and collectively advanced. Anchored in the Strategy’s four strategic objectives, it seeks to establish a shared foundation for accountability by identifying priority indicators and data structures, articulating actionable multisectoral commitments, ensuring equity and community voice in accountability design, and initiating the first reporting cycle. Together, the WHS dialogue and this session form a continuum – from identifying implementation challenges to establishing mechanisms that make the integration of Traditional Medicine trackable, transparent and globally aligned.