A retired consultant physician with experience at the World Health Organization has issued a stark warning against plans to integrate traditional medicines into mainstream healthcare without robust clinical proof.
WHO's 'Treasure Trove' Plan Faces Scrutiny
Dr Radhamanohar Macherla, a former consultant at Barts NHS Trust and a junior epidemiologist on the WHO's global smallpox eradication programme in 1974, has responded to a recent WHO initiative. The organisation announced in December its intention to explore the potential benefits of what it called a 'treasure trove' of traditional medicines.
In a letter, Dr Macherla expresses concern that the WHO's promotion leans heavily on emotive language like 'heritage' and 'tradition' rather than on solid clinical evidence. He notes a contradiction in the WHO's position, which states it does not support unproven treatments while simultaneously advocating for their incorporation.
Medicine is a Single Enterprise, Not Separate Categories
The core of the issue, according to Dr Macherla, is a fundamental misunderstanding of medicine itself. He argues that medicine should be viewed as one unified, evidence-based practice centred on patient safety and effectiveness. It should not be fragmented into separate silos like 'traditional', 'complementary', or 'biologic' medicine.
'Mainstream medicine does not, as implied, dismiss treatments simply because they originated in traditional practice,' he writes. He points to clear examples where practices with traditional roots have been successfully adopted after rigorous validation.
Evidence, Not Origin, is the Deciding Factor
Interventions such as tai chi, yoga, and numerous plant-derived pharmaceuticals have been readily embraced once clinical trials demonstrated their safety and efficacy, Dr Macherla states. He highlights that much of modern pharmacology finds its origins in traditional herbalism, which has been refined and validated over time.
The medicinal gardens at the Royal College of Physicians in London stand as a permanent reminder of this historical link, he adds. What mainstream healthcare rejects are unproven claims and practices that could potentially harm patients.
Dr Macherla concludes with a firm caution: attempting to legitimise unproven practices under banners like 'traditional' or 'complementary' medicine amounts to a 'back-door entry into clinical care'. To suggest otherwise is, at best, misleading and, at worst, dangerous for patient safety.
