Promoting non-traditional medicine in the EU

Subject: Promoting non-traditional medicine in the EU

Non-traditional medicines are an excellent preventive measure to avoid disease. People who use alternative medicine take better care of themselves and live healthy lives. They also seek out more natural forms of treatment that are safer and do not cause side effects because the ingredients are natural.

Alternative medicine is more compatible with patients’ values, worldviews and religious beliefs. In addition, alternative medicine gives patients more personal autonomy and control over their healthcare.

Could the Commission state what steps it is taking to promote the use of non-traditional medicine and to incorporate natural healing methods into healthcare?

Submitted: 10.2.2023

Answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

(3 April 2023)

According to Article 168(7) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (1), Union action shall respect the responsibilities of the Member States for the definition of their health policy and for the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care. This includes the management of health services and medical care and the allocation of the resources assigned to them.

Medical devices and medicinal products are regulated at EU level. Herbal and homeopathic medicines are covered by the EU legislation on pharmaceuticals.

Under the Healthier Together — EU Non-Communicable Diseases initiative, the Member States suggested priority areas of actions, which have been reflected in the document ‘Healthier Together EU Non-Communicable Diseases Initiative’ published in June 2022 (2).

The EU Best Practice Portal (3) provides for a possibility for stakeholders and Member States to submit proposals for evidence-based best practices on interventions in the area of public health.

1 ∙ ⸱ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A12008E168

2 ∙ ⸱ https://health.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-06/eu-ncd-initiative_publication_en_0.pdf

3 ∙ ⸱ https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/dyna/bp-portal/