WHO global research priorities for traditional, complementary, and integrative (TCI) medicine: an international consensus and comparisons with LLMs
2
Issued Date
2025-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
20472978
eISSN
20472986
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105021764577
Pubmed ID
41232122
Journal Title
Journal of Global Health
Volume
15
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Journal of Global Health Vol.15 (2025)
Suggested Citation
Ahn S., Zhou J., Jiang D., Kerr S., Zhu Y., Song P., Rudan I., Hammerschlag R., Skoetz N., Savrikar S., Fong H.H.S., Shaoping L., Akarasereenont P., Cramer H., Salih S.J., Wang M., Smith C., Masiero S., Jong M., Devarajan E., Hughes J., Tsang W., Chong L.F., Xin C., Ming W.C., Li Z., Qibiao W., Ting L., Lu Y., Stone J.A.M., Kessler C., Ng J., Sajdyk T.J., Kunle O., Hanser S.B., Wiesner J., Catabay A., Elisabetsky E., Barth J., Shefer E., Soon G.C., Sanogo R., Park S., Khan I.A., Sklaviadis T., Witt C., Bian Z., Lee S., Xue C., Skaltsa E., Bensoussan A., Duez P., Nielsen A., Liu J., Sastry J.L., Yeh G., das Gracas Lins M., Villar M., Che C.T., Mo H. WHO global research priorities for traditional, complementary, and integrative (TCI) medicine: an international consensus and comparisons with LLMs. Journal of Global Health Vol.15 (2025). doi:10.7189/jogh.15.04336 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/113166
Title
WHO global research priorities for traditional, complementary, and integrative (TCI) medicine: an international consensus and comparisons with LLMs
Author(s)
Ahn S.
Zhou J.
Jiang D.
Kerr S.
Zhu Y.
Song P.
Rudan I.
Hammerschlag R.
Skoetz N.
Savrikar S.
Fong H.H.S.
Shaoping L.
Akarasereenont P.
Cramer H.
Salih S.J.
Wang M.
Smith C.
Masiero S.
Jong M.
Devarajan E.
Hughes J.
Tsang W.
Chong L.F.
Xin C.
Ming W.C.
Li Z.
Qibiao W.
Ting L.
Lu Y.
Stone J.A.M.
Kessler C.
Ng J.
Sajdyk T.J.
Kunle O.
Hanser S.B.
Wiesner J.
Catabay A.
Elisabetsky E.
Barth J.
Shefer E.
Soon G.C.
Sanogo R.
Park S.
Khan I.A.
Sklaviadis T.
Witt C.
Bian Z.
Lee S.
Xue C.
Skaltsa E.
Bensoussan A.
Duez P.
Nielsen A.
Liu J.
Sastry J.L.
Yeh G.
das Gracas Lins M.
Villar M.
Che C.T.
Mo H.
Zhou J.
Jiang D.
Kerr S.
Zhu Y.
Song P.
Rudan I.
Hammerschlag R.
Skoetz N.
Savrikar S.
Fong H.H.S.
Shaoping L.
Akarasereenont P.
Cramer H.
Salih S.J.
Wang M.
Smith C.
Masiero S.
Jong M.
Devarajan E.
Hughes J.
Tsang W.
Chong L.F.
Xin C.
Ming W.C.
Li Z.
Qibiao W.
Ting L.
Lu Y.
Stone J.A.M.
Kessler C.
Ng J.
Sajdyk T.J.
Kunle O.
Hanser S.B.
Wiesner J.
Catabay A.
Elisabetsky E.
Barth J.
Shefer E.
Soon G.C.
Sanogo R.
Park S.
Khan I.A.
Sklaviadis T.
Witt C.
Bian Z.
Lee S.
Xue C.
Skaltsa E.
Bensoussan A.
Duez P.
Nielsen A.
Liu J.
Sastry J.L.
Yeh G.
das Gracas Lins M.
Villar M.
Che C.T.
Mo H.
Author's Affiliation
Zhejiang University
Università degli Studi di Padova
University of Illinois at Chicago
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Universiteit Leiden
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
RMIT University
Mahidol University
Kyung Hee University
UniversitatsSpital Zurich
Western Sydney University
UiT Norges Arktiske Universitet
Ministry of Health of Russian Federation
University of Macau
Uniklinik Köln
Hong Kong Baptist University
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
Edinburgh Medical School
Hangzhou Normal University
Macau University of Science and Technology
Université de Mons
Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia
Hong Kong Metropolitan University
University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy
Vivantes Netzwerk für Gesundheit
Zhejiang University School of Public Health
Green Templeton College
Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako
University of Al-Ameed
National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Nigeria
De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute
Berklee College of Music
Indiana University
National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation
National Institute for Korean Medicine Development
Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga
Health Bureau of Macau
Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices
University Hospital
Beth Israel Lahey Health
Pharmacopeia Commission of India
Social Health Insurance of Peru
Nova Institute
Health Bureau
National Medicinal Plant Board
Università degli Studi di Padova
University of Illinois at Chicago
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Universiteit Leiden
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
RMIT University
Mahidol University
Kyung Hee University
UniversitatsSpital Zurich
Western Sydney University
UiT Norges Arktiske Universitet
Ministry of Health of Russian Federation
University of Macau
Uniklinik Köln
Hong Kong Baptist University
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
Edinburgh Medical School
Hangzhou Normal University
Macau University of Science and Technology
Université de Mons
Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia
Hong Kong Metropolitan University
University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy
Vivantes Netzwerk für Gesundheit
Zhejiang University School of Public Health
Green Templeton College
Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako
University of Al-Ameed
National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Nigeria
De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute
Berklee College of Music
Indiana University
National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation
National Institute for Korean Medicine Development
Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga
Health Bureau of Macau
Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices
University Hospital
Beth Israel Lahey Health
Pharmacopeia Commission of India
Social Health Insurance of Peru
Nova Institute
Health Bureau
National Medicinal Plant Board
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Background Traditional, complementary, and integrative (TCI) medicine is an essential component of health systems worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Despite its widespread use, existing research on the safety, efficacy, and integration of TCI medicine within conventional healthcare systems is fragmented. This fragmentation highlights the urgent need for a clearly defined global research agenda to guide future studies, secure funding, and inform governance in this field. Methods The Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine Unit at the World Health Organization Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland coordinated an international research priority-setting exercise using the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) method between June and December 2023. We invited a purposive sample of 120 experts from established academic networks to participate; 53 experts (44.16% response rate) contributed, and 34 of them scored 157 unique research ideas according to five CHNRI criteria: feasibility, effectiveness, deliverability, equity, and potential for disease burden reduction. Additionally, we performed a comparative analysis by generating research priorities using large language models (LLMs), including ChatGPT-4o, Claude 3.5, and Grok 3, and these outputs were compared with the expert-derived priorities. Results Top-ranked research priorities focused on chronic disease management (e.g. diabetes, dyslipidemia), geriatric safety (e.g. herb-drug interactions), mental health (e.g. resilience and mood disorders), and integration of TCI into health systems. Priorities varied by income setting. Comparison with LLM-generated lists showed thematic overlap in efficacy and safety but divergence in focus, with LLMs emphasising research capacity, policy, and systems-level priorities. Conclusions We established a global, expert-informed research agenda to guide the future direction of TCI medicine and ensure alignment with public health needs. The comparison with LLMs highlights the complementary potential of artificial intelligence in research governance and agenda-setting.