TEHRAN – Iran ranks third in traditional medicine trials on the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) and is one of the world’s pioneers in traditional and complementary medicine, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report. The country’s status as a nation is emphasized.
According to the Ministry of Health’s website, China and India are in first and second place, respectively.
The proportion of traditional and complementary medicine clinical trials in Iran accounts for approximately 3 percent of all clinical trials registered in the country, but only approximately 0.3 percent of medical staff are experts in traditional and complementary medicine. is. This report demonstrates the high ability of Iranian researchers to pursue evidence-based medicine.
****International Airport Symposium on Traditional and Complementary Medicine
An international symposium on policy, heritage and regulatory status of traditional and complementary medicine was held in Tehran from 21 to 23 November 2024.
The symposium was held both in-person and online. The event served as a platform for experts from different countries in Asia, Europe, America and Africa to discuss their views on traditional medicine by hosting five expert panels.
Training and higher education in traditional and complementary medicine. Integration of traditional and complementary medicine in health systems. Laws and regulations regarding the standardization and provision of traditional and natural products were also one of the main topics of the event.
The event facilitated communication, provided a platform for discussion and sharing of global experiences on traditional medicine, and laid the foundation for integrating traditional and complementary medicine into the health system, the Ministry of Health’s website reported. .
“It is essential to establish and implement policies, regulations and laws to enable the integration of traditional and complementary into the health system,” the Ministry of Health website states. Arman Zargalan, advisor to the Department of Traditional Medicine of the province, is quoted. Say.
He further said that the symposium will help find the best strategies to address the challenges of integrating traditional medicine into health systems and ways to scale it up.
Maintaining health and preventing disease
Iranian traditional medicine focuses on prioritizing health maintenance and disease prevention over treatment.
It is one of the oldest forms of traditional medicine. It is based on four humor concepts: phlegm (Balgham), blood (Dam), yellow bile (Safra’), and black bile (Sauda’). The four humor concepts are based on the teachings of Rahses and Avicenna in their elaborate medical system.
Approximately 30,000 plant species have been identified around the world, of which Iran accounts for approximately 8,000 species, which exceeds the total number of species found in Europe.
Approximately 500 Persian medicine professionals provide health and medical services across the country.
More than 1,000 general practitioners who have passed Persian medicine courses approved by the Ministry of Health are also offering their services, Mehr News Agency quoted Nafiseh Hosseini-Yekta, head of the Persian Medicine Department at the Ministry of Health, as saying. Ta.
Currently, nine faculties of Persian medicine are admitting students to universities in the country, she added.
The development of Persian medicine specialists has always been a top priority of the Persian Medicine Bureau. Therefore, various skill courses have been developed and held under the supervision of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
MT/MG