On 13 December 2023, the European Parliament (EP) approved in the Plenary the Report on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). This comprehensive report, drafted by the parliament’s Public Health Subcommittee, emphasizes the importance of strong prevention strategies to address NCDs, underscoring that comprehensive actions are needed to address this health issue. As a key action, the report calls for the inclusion of Integrative Medicine under the objective to Improving NCD healthcare in Europe.
NCDs, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, mental disorders, neurological disorders, and cancer, account for a 80% of the disease burden in EU countries. Furthermore, these NCDs contribute to 90% of all deaths in the European Union, making them the leading cause of preventable premature deaths1.
To address this critical issue, the EU emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to tackle health inequalities and promote disease prevention in the amended NCD report, voted in the European Parliament today. Along other preventive and management strategies, the report stresses the importance of a holistic, integrative, and patient-centered approach, encouraging the complementary use of these therapies under the supervision of healthcare professionals;
“Highlights the fact that scientifically recognized integrative medicine approved by public health authorities can bring benefits to patients in relation to the parallel effects of several diseases, such as cancer, and their treatment; stresses the importance of developing a holistic, integrative and patient-centered approach and encouraging, where appropriate, the complementary use of these therapies under the supervision of healthcare professionals”.2
IVAA applauds this acknowledgment of the role of evidence-based Integrative Medicine in contributing to the improvement of healthcare.
Integrative Medicine can optimize health, quality of life, and clinical outcomes by incorporating different medical traditions alongside conventional treatments and aligning with patient preferences.
[1] Non-communicable diseases – Overview
[2] Download DRAFT REPORT on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (2023/2075(INI))
