TEHRAN - The first expert meeting to develop the National Governance Document for Iranian Traditional Medicine was held with the aim of reviewing the sector’s overarching policies, bringing together senior officials, leading academics, and representatives of executive bodies.

The meeting was attended by Hossein Rezaeizadeh, the head of the headquarters for developing traditional medicine and medicinal herbs, university professors, and representatives of executive agencies, Mehr news agency reported.

The first part of the meeting focused on the country’s current status regarding medicinal plants and traditional medicine, the challenges inherent in the previous documents and their respective strengths and weaknesses, as well as novel policies and approaches for inclusion in strategic objectives of the new document.  

Drawing on past experience, participants identified several key areas for strengthening the new document. These include benchmarking it against international frameworks developed by leading countries such as India and China; adopting more people-centered implementation indicators; prioritizing education while avoiding an excessive emphasis on credentialism in medicine; and leveraging the potential of health diplomacy.

The development of technological infrastructure, including medicinal herb refineries, the use of artificial intelligence (AI), market regulation, development of new pharmaceutical and therapeutic documentation, and scientific management of traditional herbal shops and guilds are among other discussed issues.

Other points highlighted by the participants included compiling a comprehensive statistical yearbook on medicinal plants; clearly defining the mandates of each relevant agency and ministry in line with their respective responsibilities; reviewing the composition of the headquarters council; restructuring executive operations; and reforming budget allocation mechanisms to enhance the effectiveness of the National Governance Document for Persian Medicine.

National research, technology network

The health ministry’s traditional medicine is developing a national research and technology network for Persian medicine to integrate scientific and technological efforts to enhance Persian medicine’s status and expand the value chain of medicinal plants.

The network will organize the country's research and scientific capacities in supplementary medicine and Persian medicine to meet the needs of the health sector and knowledge-based economy, Rezaeizadeh said in February.

It will serve as a platform for the development of a roadmap for technologies relating to indigenous knowledge to address the challenges, such as the lack of a structured link between traditional knowledge and modern technologies, the official further noted.

The network’s core areas are centered around biochemical, molecular, and microbiological research, animal studies, disease models, safety assessments, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics.

Developing interdisciplinary research and utilizing new technologies such as proteomics, metabolomics, microbiome studies, cellular models, bioinformatics data analyses, epidemiological studies, and advanced animal models are among other key pillars of the network to create synergy between traditional knowledge, biological, and data-driven sciences.

Iran’s commitment in traditional medicine

During the closing ceremony of the second World Health Organization (WHO) Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, Iran pledged commitments to advance the implementation of the Global Strategy for Traditional Medicine 2025-2034.

Co-organized by the WHO and the Government of India, the second global Summit on Traditional Medicine was held from December 17 to 19 last year in New Delhi, under the theme ‘Restoring Balance: The science and practice of health and well-being’.

Rezaeizadeh, Arman Zargaran, the advisor to the health ministry’s traditional medicine office, and Mohammad Fathali, the ambassador to India, attended the event.

Iran’s five commitments include launching a WHO collaborating center, launching a national platform for clinical trials, strengthening research and evidence, publishing in reputable journals, compiling five standard operating procedures (SOPs) for specialized Persian procedures, and integrating traditional medicine into the health system, the health ministry’s website reported.

The second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine aimed to advance a global movement to restore balance for people and the planet, grounded in the science and practice of Traditional Medicine.

During the summit, Iranian officials took part in specialized discussions on traditional medicine. Zargaran was the first speaker to deliver a speech, titled ‘Codifying complexities: standardization in traditional medicine research’, at the parallel session 2A themed ‘Translating the WHO Traditional Medicine Research Roadmap into Global Action’.

Like many ancient medical systems, Persian medicine takes a holistic approach to health, emphasizing lifestyle factors such as adhering to a proper diet, moderate exercise, sufficient sleep, and mental/emotional balance.

According to Roshanak Ghods, an associate professor of Persian medicine at Iran University of Medical Sciences, many treatments in Persian medicine focus on restoring balance and boosting the body’s natural healing capacities.

“The knowledge accumulated over centuries of practice and research provides clinical insights and therapeutic approaches complementary to modern medicine”, she said. “Preserving this medical tradition and making it accessible ensures that people today can benefit from this time-tested system of natural healing and its unique principles, but of course, we also need the evidence on the effectiveness and safety of traditional and complementary medicine, based on suitable research methods for personalized medicine.”

Ghods’ vision is for a health-care system that combines traditional with conventional medicine, without prejudice. “Our goal for the future should be to provide personalized, patient-centered care that addresses the person’s mind, body, and spirit”, she said.

MT/MG