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The [[World Health Organization]] (WHO) defines traditional medicine as "the sum total of the knowledge, skills, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness."<ref name="WHO">{{cite web|url=https://www.who.int/medicines/areas/traditional/definitions/en/|title=Traditional Medicine: Definitions|date=2008-12-01|access-date=2014-04-20|publisher=[[World Health Organization]]|archive-date=8 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808043653/https://www.who.int/medicines/areas/traditional/definitions/en/|url-status=live}}</ref> Practices known as traditional medicines include [[Ayurveda]], [[Siddha medicine]], [[Unani]], [[Ancient Iranian Medicine|ancient Iranian medicine]], [[Irani Traditional medicine|Irani]], [[Medicine in medieval Islam|Islamic medicine]], [[traditional Chinese medicine]], [[traditional Korean medicine]], [[acupuncture]], [[Muti]], [[Ifá]], and [[traditional African medicine]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Traditional Medicine-2020 {{!}} Alternative Medicine-2020 {{!}} Herbal Medicine-2020 {{!}} Naturopathic Medicine 2020 {{!}} 5th World Congress on Traditional and Alternative Medicine |url=https://www.scientificfederation.com/traditional-medicine-2020/ |website=www.scientificfederation.com |access-date=18 January 2021 |archive-date=7 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807121030/https://www.scientificfederation.com/traditional-medicine-2020/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[World Health Organization]] (WHO) defines traditional medicine as "the sum total of the knowledge, skills, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness."<ref name="WHO">{{cite web|url=https://www.who.int/medicines/areas/traditional/definitions/en/|title=Traditional Medicine: Definitions|date=2008-12-01|access-date=2014-04-20|publisher=[[World Health Organization]]|archive-date=8 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808043653/https://www.who.int/medicines/areas/traditional/definitions/en/|url-status=live}}</ref> Practices known as traditional medicines include [[Ayurveda]], [[Siddha medicine]], [[Unani]], [[Ancient Iranian Medicine|ancient Iranian medicine]], [[Irani Traditional medicine|Irani]], [[Medicine in medieval Islam|Islamic medicine]], [[traditional Chinese medicine]], [[traditional Korean medicine]], [[acupuncture]], [[Muti]], [[Ifá]], and [[traditional African medicine]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Traditional Medicine-2020 {{!}} Alternative Medicine-2020 {{!}} Herbal Medicine-2020 {{!}} Naturopathic Medicine 2020 {{!}} 5th World Congress on Traditional and Alternative Medicine |url=https://www.scientificfederation.com/traditional-medicine-2020/ |website=www.scientificfederation.com |access-date=18 January 2021 |archive-date=7 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807121030/https://www.scientificfederation.com/traditional-medicine-2020/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The WHO stated that "inappropriate use of traditional medicines or practices can have negative or dangerous effects" and that "further research is needed to ascertain the efficacy and safety" of several of the practices and medicinal plants used by traditional medicine systems.<ref name = WHO/> Practitioners of traditional medicine are not authorized to practice medicine in India unless trained at a qualified medical institution, registered with the government, and listed as registered physicians annually in [[The Gazette of India]].<ref name=agrawal/><ref name=ima14/> Identifying practitioners of traditional medicine, the Supreme Court of India stated in 2018 that "unqualified, untrained quacks are posing a great risk to the entire society and playing with the lives of people without having the requisite training and education in the science from approved institutions".<ref name=agrawal/>  

The WHO stated that "inappropriate use of traditional medicines or practices can have negative or dangerous effects" and that "further research is needed to ascertain the efficacy and safety" of several of the practices and medicinal plants used by traditional medicine systems.<ref name = WHO/> Practitioners of traditional medicine are not authorized to practice medicine in India unless trained at a qualified medical institution, registered with the government, and listed as registered physicians annually in [[The Gazette of India]].<ref name=agrawal/><ref name="ima14">{{cite web |title=IMA Anti Quackery |url=http://www.ima-india.org/ima/left-side-bar.php?scid=291 |publisher=Indian Medical Association |access-date=28 November 2019 |date=2014 |archive-date=31 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131193119/http://www.ima-india.org/ima/left-side-bar.php?scid=291 |url-status=live }}</ref> Identifying practitioners of traditional medicine, the Supreme Court of India stated in 2018 that "unqualified, untrained quacks are posing a great risk to the entire society and playing with the lives of people without having the requisite training and education in the science from approved institutions".<ref name=agrawal/>  

Evidence on the effectiveness of the alternative medicine practice of [[acupuncture]] is "variable and inconsistent" for any condition,<ref name=Colquhoun2013>{{cite journal | vauthors = Colquhoun D, Novella SP | title = Acupuncture is theatrical placebo | journal = Anesthesia and Analgesia | volume = 116 | issue = 6 | pages = 1360–3 | date = June 2013 | pmid = 23709076 | doi = 10.1213/ANE.0b013e31828f2d5e | s2cid = 207135491 | url = http://www.dcscience.net/Colquhoun-Novella-A&A-2013.pdf | author-link = David Colquhoun | access-date = 18 August 2021 | archive-date = 20 November 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181120055409/http://www.dcscience.net/Colquhoun-Novella-A%26A-2013.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref> but is generally safe when done by an appropriately trained practitioner.<ref name="nciacupuncture">{{cite web|title=Acupuncture (PDQ®)|url=http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/acupuncture/healthprofessional/page6|publisher=[[National Cancer Institute]]|access-date=15 Sep 2013|date=2005-09-23|archive-date=29 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929100111/http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/acupuncture/HealthProfessional/page6|url-status=live}}</ref>

Evidence on the effectiveness of the alternative medicine practice of [[acupuncture]] is "variable and inconsistent" for any condition,<ref name=Colquhoun2013>{{cite journal | vauthors = Colquhoun D, Novella SP | title = Acupuncture is theatrical placebo | journal = Anesthesia and Analgesia | volume = 116 | issue = 6 | pages = 1360–3 | date = June 2013 | pmid = 23709076 | doi = 10.1213/ANE.0b013e31828f2d5e | s2cid = 207135491 | url = http://www.dcscience.net/Colquhoun-Novella-A&A-2013.pdf | author-link = David Colquhoun | access-date = 18 August 2021 | archive-date = 20 November 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181120055409/http://www.dcscience.net/Colquhoun-Novella-A%26A-2013.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref> but is generally safe when done by an appropriately trained practitioner.<ref name="nciacupuncture">{{cite web|title=Acupuncture (PDQ®)|url=http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/acupuncture/healthprofessional/page6|publisher=[[National Cancer Institute]]|access-date=15 Sep 2013|date=2005-09-23|archive-date=29 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929100111/http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/acupuncture/HealthProfessional/page6|url-status=live}}</ref>

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