World Health Organization training standards for anthroposophic medicine

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published its benchmarks for training in anthroposophic medicine.

This new publication sets qualification standards for anthroposophic medicine practitioners and will serve as a reference point for policy makers, health workers and education providers. It is the result of a rigorous process of mapping and reviewing anthroposophic medicine training standards by experts, according to WHO criteria. It means that trainings for health care professions in anthroposophic medicine can be officially recognised by health authorities worldwide and will provide patients with a predictable level of care. This initiative reflects the relevance and increasing popularity of this global medical practice, and comes at a time when increasing numbers of countries are setting policies on traditional, complementary and integrative medicine.

To mark the publication of the WHO training benchmarks, an online launch symposium, "WHO Benchmarks: Milestone for Anthroposophic Medicine", is being organised on 12 April 2023 by the International Federation of Anthroposophic Medical Associations (IVAA) and the Medical Section at the Goetheanum, in cooperation with the Dachverband Anthroposophische Medizin in Deutschland (DAMiD). Representatives of WHO and anthroposophic medicine will explain how the benchmarks were developed, give a brief overview of the different professional disciplines, and speak to the use and relevance of the benchmarks. Presenters will also outline what they perceive as the added value of anthroposophic medicine to state-of-the-art conventional medical care. The event will be held in English.

In 2014, in its Traditional Medicine Strategy: 2014-2023, WHO defined the integration of traditional and complementary medicine into health systems as an important strategic goal. To date, it has published comparable training standards for various established traditional, complementary and integrative practices, such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Countries now need to translate the WHO benchmarks into national training standards.