On Thursday, November 21st, 2024, EUROCAM, in collaboration with the Charité Competence Center for Traditional and Integrative Medicine (CCCTIM), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin hosted a webinar titled "Promising Research Horizons: The TCIH’s Contribution to Tackling AMR in Europe." The event brought together leading experts to discuss potential roles of Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Healthcare (TCIH) in addressing the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in a One Health framework.

Key takeaways

• TCIH as a valuable tool in addressing AMR: The webinar highlighted the potential of TCIH in reducing antibiotic overuse and promoting prevention-based approaches to infection management. As Dr Dominique Monnet, Head of Section, Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare‑Associated Infections (ARHAI), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), emphasised, “We currently lag behind 2030 AMR targets. While progress is being made, a more targeted approach, incorporating One Health principles, is necessary. Going forward, we need to focus on solutions that can lead to prevent infections and reduce unnecessary antibiotic consumption. This is particularly important in the community—where most antibiotic use occurs and where targeted interventions can have the greatest impact on total antibiotic consumption in humans.”
• Global collaboration: Speakers emphasised the need for broader international cooperation in sharing knowledge, research findings, and blueprints for the research and application of TCIH.
• One Health approach: A central focus of the discussion was the role of the One Health approach in combating AMR. Through the presentation of field trials to promising research findings, speakers emphasised how TCIH can be a policy tool in the One Health framework, supporting cross-sectoral coordination between human, animal, and environmental health. By promoting patient-centered, holistic care, TCIH contributes to reducing antibiotic reliance through preventive measures, non-antibiotic treatments, and sustainable practices across all sectors of health.
• Research priorities: Participants called for increased investment in TCIH research, stronger policy support, and the development of guidelines that include TCIH as part of a broader prevention and management strategy.

Event highlights

• The webinar opened with a welcome from Dr Hiba Boujnah, representing Charité Competence Center for Traditional and Integrative Medicine (CCCTIM), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Dr Boujnah highlighted that this webinar is part of Charité’s ongoing collaboration with EUROCAM, promoting research and integration of TCIH into public health strategies, and addressing critical health issues such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
• Dr Dominique Monnet outlined current trends in antimicrobial consumption and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across the EU/EEA, highlighting that the primary barriers to reaching the 2030 AMR targets are in hospitals and other healthcare settings as well as in the community.
• Professor Dr Motlalepula Matsabisa, who joined the discussion on behalf of the Charité Competence Center for Traditional and Integrative Medicine (CCCTIM), presented a joint EU-Africa research project focused on mapping global collaborative efforts in Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Health (TCIH) and their potential positive role in AMR mitigation. In his discussion, Professor Matsabisa underscored need for global cooperation between Europe and Africa or North and South, referencing the Gujarat Declaration, which calls for research to “unlock the vast potential of traditional, complementary and integrative healthcare amidst important challenges and opportunities to realize universal health coverage and promote health and well-being for people and the planet”. He outlined along with the Gujarat declaration the G20 Health Minister summit in India undertaking to promote One Health, implement and prioritise tackling AMR and Recognize the potential role of evidence-based Traditional and Complementary Medicine in health.
• Pammy Riggs showcased the benefits of holistic approaches to farmed livestock health in a dairy herd presenting the results of her preventative treatment protocols that reduce antibiotic use in livestock by 24% over one year in a comparison field trial. Ongoing results show a continued improving picture.
• Associate Professor Dr Ivan Ivanov discussed how the restoration and preservation of microbiome diversity can prevent the spread of AMR. His presentation highlighted the potential for non-antibiotic microbiome-focused strategies to reshape AMR management and improve long-term health outcomes, and the role TCIH can play in these efforts. Dr Ivanov specifically stressed how soil biodiversity loss can contribute to AMR and emphasized the role that One Health strategies can play in both restoring and maintaining biodiversity in the environment. Though under-researched, action is required to improve sustainability, such as better surveillance, wastewater plant upgrades, and AMR stewardship in hospitals.
• Dr Esther van der Werf discussed the latest high quality evidence on TCIH interventions for infection prevention and treatment. The studies she reviewed—ranging from systematic reviews to real-world evidence—suggested promising outcomes for managing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), with critical implications for improving treatment protocols and guiding future research in the field.
• Professor Dr Erik Baars closed the speaker panels by outlining research gaps and areas that need dedicated funding for effective integration of TCIH in European and global AMR strategies. He emphasised, “To maximize TCIH's impact in addressing AMR and infectious disease prevention and management, we need to focus on research and collaboration in key areas. Investing in high-quality studies will allow us to unlock the full potential of TCIH and translate research into meaningful policy actions.”

Next steps

The webinar concluded with a lively Q&A session moderated by Tido von Schoen-Angerer, President of the TCIH Coalition and the International Federation of Anthroposophic Medical Associations (IVAA). The event was attended by more than 210 participants from Europe and around the world, demonstrating the growing interest in TCIH as a valuable tool in addressing AMR and enhancing One Health strategies.

“The contributions of TCIH to AMR strategies are more than promising, and we believe that, with continued research and collaboration, these practices can become a key part of the strategies to address AMR in Europe and globally.” Adrianne Waldt, concluded on behalf of EUROCAM.

EUROCAM is committed to advocating for the integration of TCIH into healthcare systems and promoting evidence-based research to address AMR.  As we move towards the EU 2030 AMR targets and targets of global strategies, it is clear that a united, collaborative effort—across Europe, Africa, and beyond—will be key. We will work closely with policymakers, healthcare providers, and researchers to ensure that these promising approaches are recognised and supported, contributing to a healthier and more sustainable future.

Greater efforts and increased investment are vital for TCIH to effectively tackle AMR. This commitment aligns closely with our broader mission to advance health and environmental sustainability, as highlighted in EUROCAM’s new Refocusing Health project.

Watch the recording

The recording is available here: https://youtu.be/dGNajcs_B_8 . Thank you to all the speakers and participants for their contributions!