Skip Navigation

Health: Traditional medicine

ethiopia_tradmed_PVirotWHO

Traditional medicine is growing in popularity, yet standardised international regulation has still to be formulated, and the excessive use of medicinal plants can threaten biodiversity.

(Photo credit: WHO/P.Virot)

Opinions and Analysis

Medicinal biodiversity needs stronger protection efforts

International bodies, governments and indigenous people must all help protect medicinal biodiversity, say Jeffrey A. McNeely and Sue Mainka.

29 April 2009 | EN
Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature

nurse administering tb drugs Uphill struggle against tuberculosis

Africa and India are struggling in the fight against tuberculosis, say Richard E. Chaisson, Neil A. Martinson and Vikram Paralkar.

17 March 2008 | EN | 中文
Source: New England Journal of Medicine

Room for traditional medicine in Ghana?

16 May 2007 | EN
Source: AllAfrica.com

Policy Briefs

National and regional laws to protect IK related to genetic resources

The past decade has seen the development and, in some cases, adoption of national legislation to protect indigenous knowledge (IK) in certain countries and regions. Manuel Ruiz identifies and analyses the issues raised by the best-known IK protection laws and policies.

11 March 2004 | EN

Global legislation on indigenous knowledge

Recent years have seen rising interest in the commercial exploitation of indigenous knowledge. But there are serious concerns over who benefits from this knowledge. Anju Sharma puts this debate into context by describing how the issue is being played out at the global level.

1 March 2004 | EN | 中文


News and Features

Herbs have a role in fighting malaria, conference hears

Scientists should investigate herbal malaria remedies as they are more affordable for the very poor, the MIM meeting was told.

6 November 2009 | EN
Source: IRIN

Peru: Complementary medicine 'cost effective'

Complementary medicine has saved the Peruvian government US$8 million in the last ten years, says a study.

22 October 2009 | ES