Strengthening global regulatory cooperation

In his opening address, Dr. Sungchol Kim, Chair of WHO-IRCH, emphasized the importance of harmonized regulatory approaches: “Cooperation among Member States is essential to build confidence in herbal medicines through evidence-based regulation and mutual learning.”

Dr. Taruna Ikrar, Chairperson of Indonesia’s Food and Drug Authority (BPOM), welcomed delegates and reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to regulatory excellence, highlighting the country’s long-standing jamu traditions and the growing role of traditional medicine in public health.

Over the three-day meeting, 57 representatives attended in person while 31 participated online, representing WHO-IRCH Members and observers. Plenary and technical sessions focused on key themes through three Working Groups:

• Working Group 1: Safety and regulation of herbal medicines
• Working Group 2: Quality control, standardization, and sustainability of herbal medicines
• Working Group 3: Efficacy and intended use of herbal medicines

Workshops showcased recent capacity-building efforts, including training programmes organised earlier this year by the Governments of India (a three-day hybrid workshop for Working Groups 1 and 3) and China (a two-day online workshop for Working Group 2).

Advancing the global traditional medicine agenda

The WHO Secretariat presented progress on several key initiatives, including the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) for evaluating national regulatory authorities for traditional medicine products, and updates to the WHO International Herbal Pharmacopoeia (IHP). Delegates also discussed ongoing work on terminology harmonization and establishing reference limits for contaminants in herbal medicines.

This year’s meeting was held ahead of the 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit scheduled for 17–19 December 2025 in New Delhi, India. A Summit session on the regulation of TCIM products will build on Jakarta’s recommendations and support implementation of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034.

Looking ahead

In his closing remarks, Dr. Kim commended the active participation of Member States and thanked the Government of Indonesia for its hospitality and organisation. He urged members to maintain collaboration through ongoing dialogue, capacity-building and knowledge sharing, reaffirming IRCH’s mission to protect and promote public health through effective regulation of herbal medicines.

Next meeting: The 17th WHO-IRCH Annual Meeting will be held in 2026.