Tomas Pfeiffer
Director,
Institute for TCIM/CAM
Czech Republic
Background: In view of current fragmentation of individual fields of Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM), further development of TCIM area as a whole calls for projects that would help unify the individual fields into common networks or frameworks. Such structures are missing links for easier implementation of important recommendations on TCIM, issued by organizations such as WHO, WHA, or NATO, into national healthcare systems. Platform 2020 Prague (www.platform2020prague.com) aims to develop a project similar to TCIM Americas Network [1], which would be located in Europe, with potential global reach. Objectives: To enhance unification and mutual support of all TCIM fields, via creating a common information space for communication across all fields of healthcare systems, including Evidence-Based Medicine, in order to facilitate integration of TCIM fields into mainstream healthcare. Methods: Platform 2020 Prague is a freely available global database covering all TCIM fields. In addition to aspects already available in similar TCIM projects, Platform 2020 Prague enhances mutual cooperation via functional features of social networks, and joint content development similar to Wikipedia. Results: Standard operation of the Platform was inaugurated by WHO representative at the World Health Congress 2021 Prague, with participation of major representatives of various TCIM branches and leading international organizations, such as the WHO, Cambridge University, ANME, Cornell University, and others. The project has already received recognition of the TCIM community all over the world. Conclusion: The Platform 2020 Prague is a newly established global project that serves the whole TCIM area. The project is aligned to main objectives of future development of public health according to leading global health organizations, as stated e.g. by representatives of WHO [2]. [1] J. Weeks, JACM 26 (2020) 82–84. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2020.29082.jjw. [2] G. Gopalakrishna, Evaluation of TCIM in the World, World Health Congress 2021 Prague – Proceedings https://www.whc2021prague.com/proceedings.pdf Online; accessed 02-January-2022.