□ The Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM / President: Lee Jin-Yong) announced that Principal Researcher Lee Myeong-su at its KM Science Research Division had been selected to carry out a research project ordered by the Evidence to Policy and Impact Team of the World Health Organization (WHO).

○ WHO established strategic goals regarding topics drawing increasing global attention and demand in consideration of five key areas (partnership, evidence, data, diversity, and innovation) and is engaged in development and support to help traditional medicine contribute to human-centered global health.

□ KIOM cooperated with the National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NAFKAM) in Norway, one of WHO collaborating centers, and was successfully selected after intense competition among organizations in various countries.

□ Under KIOM’s leadership, the research team will form a consortium with 10 domestic institutions (including six Korean medicine colleges) and researchers from 19 universities in 10 overseas countries (such as Harvard University in the U.S., Oxford University in the U.K., Beijing University of Chinese Medicine in China, etc.) in implementing the research on “systematic map of reviews on traditional medicine and health outcomes.”

□ Systematic literature review is a key research method in evidence-based medicine where research data (evidences) that have been published are collected comprehensively and conclusions are drawn through in-depth examination and analysis.

○ Also, systematic evidence map is a method where systematic review methodology is used to put together evidences and visualize their characteristics and disparities.

□ Dr. Lee, the chief researcher, remarked, “It is necessary to draw the systematic evidence map to show the main characteristics of traditional medicine. We will put together and analyze the evidences according to systematic review of data on diversified interventions and diseases, and propose future priorities in the traditional medicine research based on the result.”

□ Through the implementation of the WHO project, KIOM will develop the evidence map for traditional medicine and build the global framework for policies, standards, and regulations to maintain the safety and efficiency of traditional medicine and facilitate its further development