“INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN HEALTH: INTEGRATION OF COMPLEMENTARY AND TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS”, 28-31 OCTOBER 2008, FLORENCE

Abstract

With participants coming from 26 countries, the International Workshop on “Innovation and development in health: Integration of complementary and traditional medicine in public health systems” was the occasion to share and discuss experiences of integrating complementary and traditional medicine (CTM) and to reassert the importance of these practices in reducing health care costs and increasing the sustainability of health services. The Workshop resulted in a Final Declaration that gave birth to the “International network for the integration of complementary and traditional medicines in public health systems” and proposed the establishment of a cooperation programme to support its activities. The report presents the main topics raised during the workshop's sessions and highlights the centrality of an intercultural approach and the role of universities and research institutes in disseminating the plurality of existing knowledge on CTM.