"Traditional medicine" is a comprehensive term used to refer
both to TM systems such as traditional Chinese medicine, Indian
ayurveda and Arabic unani medicine, and to various forms of
indigenous medicine. TM therapies include medication therapies -
if they involve use of herbal medicinesa, animal parts and/or
minerals - and non- medication therapies - if they are carried
out primarily without the use of medication, as in the case of
acupuncture, manual therapies and spiritual therapies. In
countries where the dominant health care system is based on
allopathic medicine, or where TM has not been incorporated into
the national health care system, TM is often termed
"complementary", "alternative" or "non-conventional" medicine.b
a Herbal medicines include herbs, herbal materials, herbal
preparations and finished herbal products, that contain as
active ingredients parts of plants, or other plant materials, or
combinations thereof. b Accordingly, in this document,
"traditional medicine" is used when referring to A