Tehran – Roshanak Gods, an associate professor of Persian Medicine at the Iranian University of Medicine, proposes to establish a global fund for research on traditional medicine.
She proposed that the World Health Organization should work with member states, international organizations and the private sector to establish a global fund for traditional medicine research, Lancet reported.
Ghods recommended that the government allocate a percentage of the National Health Research Budget to the region.
“Persian medicine, with a long, rich history dating back to over 2000 years, has many advantages that are very suitable for people today,” she told the Lancet in September 2023.
Ghods noted that much of the treatments in Persian medicine focuses on restoring balance and improving the body’s natural healing ability.
“The knowledge accumulated in practice and research over the centuries provides clinical insights and therapeutic approaches that complement modern medicine,” she said. “Preserving this medical tradition and making it accessible can benefit people today from this unique system of principles of natural healing, but of course there is also evidence on the effectiveness and safety of traditional and complementary medicine based on research methods suitable for personalized medicine.”
Ghods’ vision is a healthcare system that combines traditional medicines with the best traditional medicines without prejudice. “The goal for the future is to provide personalized, patient-centered care that addresses the mind, body, mind, the whole person,” she said.
Ghods encourages policymakers to resolve the most responsible methods of integrating traditional medicines with traditional medicines, and to ensure that providers are knowledgeable about the various treatment options and how they interact or complement. “Our ultimate goal is to have a comprehensive health care system that focuses on the needs and preferences of patients, rather than proving the advantages of one healthcare field over the other,” she concluded.
Iran ranks third in the traditional medicine exam
According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), Iran ranks third in the traditional medical examinations on the International Clinical Trial Registration Platform (ICTRP), highlighting the country’s status as one of the pioneers in the world of traditional and complementary medicine.
China and India rank first and second respectively, the Ministry of Health website reported.
The proportion of clinical trials in Iran’s traditional and complementary medicine accounts for about 3% of all clinical trials registered in the country, while approximately 0.3% of medical staff are experts in traditional and complementary medicine. The report shows the large capacity for Iranian researchers to move to evidence-based healthcare.
intl. Symposium on Traditional Complementary Medicine
The International Symposium on Traditional and Complementary Medical Policy, Heritage and Regulatory Environment was held in Tehran from 21-23 November 2024.
The symposium was held in person and online. By retaining five specialist panels, the event served as a platform for experts from various Asian, European, American and African countries to discuss their views on traditional medicine.
Training and higher education in traditional and complementary medicine. Integration of traditional and complementary medicine in health care systems. Legislation and regulations regarding the standardization and provision of traditional natural products and natural products have been one of the main topics of the event.
The event provided a platform to enhance, discuss and share communications to build grounds for laying the foundations for integrating traditional medicine and complementary medicine into health systems, the Health Ministry website reported.
The Ministry of Health website states that Ahman Zargaran, an advisor to the Ministry of Health’s Department of Traditional Medicine, “It is essential to ensure that traditional and complementary medicine can be integrated into the health system in order to establish and implement policies, regulations and laws.”
He further noted that the symposium will help us understand the best strategies to address the challenges of integrating traditional medicine into healthcare systems, and how to expand it.
Maintaining health and preventing illness
Traditional Iranian medicine focuses more on prioritizing health maintenance and disease prevention than treatment.
It is one of the oldest forms of traditional medicine. It is based on four concepts of sense of humor: Phlegm (Balgham), Blood (Dam), Yellow Bile (Safra’), and Black Bile (Sauda’). The four concepts of sense of humor are based on the teachings of Rhazes and Avicenna in an elaborate healthcare system.
So far, around 30,000 plant species have been identified worldwide, with a share of around 8,000 species in Iran, exceeding the total number of species found in Europe.
Approximately 500 Persian medical experts provide health and medical services nationwide.
More than 1,000 general practitioners who have passed Persian Medicine courses approved by the Ministry of Health also provide services, Mehr’s news agency quotes Nafiseh Hosseini-Yekta, director of the Ministry of Health’s Persian Medicine Office.
Currently, nine faculties of Persian Medicine enroll students from universities in the country, she added.
The training of professionals in Persian medicine has always been at the pinnacle of the agenda of the Persian Medical Bureau. Therefore, various skill courses have been developed and are being held under the supervision of the Ministry of Health.