Traditional Medicine Integration in China, India, and Thailand: Implication on Policy Decisions in the Philippines in Universal Health Care

The World Health Organization (WHO) enjoins its member states to harness the potential contribution of Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) through its integration into national health systems [1]. Over the years, the demand for TCIM has significantly increased, providing a large part of health care services for the majority of the population, especially those in developing countries. Known as the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act (TAMA) of 1997, RA 8423 was enacted to improve the quality and delivery of health care services to Filipinos through the development and integration of TCIM into the national health care delivery system; however, several identified issues hinder the attainment of the objectives of the law [2]. In contrast, three countries have shown great progress in establishing systems, standards, and guidelines in improving the quality, safety, and efficacy of traditional products, practices, and practitioners [5-24]. The study used the interpretive/constructivist epistemological perspective first to explore the health policy issues of the TAMA utilizing the policy analysis triangle by Walt and Gilson in 1994 [3]. The themes which emerged from the review were used to identify and describe the models, facilitators, and barriers to the integration of traditional medicine into the national health systems in China, India, and Thailand. Multiple realities, descriptions, and experiences of populations were assessed through meta-synthesis. Finally, in the in-depth interviews, the results of the meta-synthesis were laid out to the participants to draw out policy ideas and strategies and determine which can be applied in the Philippine setting. The themes regulation, financing, country contextualization and stakeholder involvement, medical pluralism, and research were the identified gaps of the TAMA and were used as basis in looking into the models, facilitators, and barriers to the TCIM integration in China, India, and Thailand. The findings from the meta-synthesis guided the in-depth interviews which looked into its application to the Philippine setting.