Congress participants can submit Special Interest Group (SIG) proposals until May 21, 2025
The 3rd World Congress on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (3rd WCTCIM) is accepting proposals for Special Interest Groups (SIGs) until May 21, 2025. These international groups will be invited to present their projects during the congress.
Inspired by the successful experience of the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) and other institutions, the SIGs aim to bring together professionals committed to collaboratively advancing strategic topics in the field of Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM). Researchers, clinicians, educators, and leaders are encouraged to propose international groups focused on tangible outcomes such as clinical guidelines, research protocols, seminars, position statements, or educational modules.
What are SIGs?
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are international collaboration platforms focused on advancing specific strategic themes in TCIM. Composed of clinicians, researchers, educators, and other professionals, SIGs aim to foster in-depth discussions, develop guidelines and editorials, propose studies, and create educational solutions with a strong focus on continuity and real-world impact. These working groups will be active throughout 2025 and must have their proposals approved by the Congress Scientific Committee in order to present during the event.
To participate, groups must:
- Define a relevant and specific topic in TCIM
- Establish the mission and objectives of the group
- Propose a project to be carried out by the time of the Congress
- Appoint two coordinators and at least five additional members, ensuring diversity and international representation
In addition to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, SIGs offer a unique opportunity to consolidate international networks in TCIM research and practice. These groups can function as incubators for clinical and scientific innovation by connecting different cultural contexts and local experiences to create global solutions. Over the following months, SIGs will meet periodically and are expected to submit monthly or bimonthly progress reports to the Congress Scientific Committee to ensure ongoing monitoring and the feasibility of concrete outcomes.
Proposals must be submitted in the form of an abstract of up to 400 words. The document should include a justification, objectives, methodology, and the names and affiliations of group members. Submissions must be completed by May 21, 2025.
👉 https://wctcim.cabsin.org.br/new/sig-submission
The 3rd WCTCIM recognizes the value of these initiatives in strengthening international collaboration in TCIM and supports the continuation of SIG activities as spaces for knowledge production and innovation. This includes the possibility of presentations at future events in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO). Selected proposals will be announced on June 20, 2025, and the chosen SIGs will be assigned a dedicated liaison by the organizing committee.
A global event bringing together TCIM from all six WHO regions
From October 15–18, 2025, Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro will host the 3rd World Congress on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (3rd WCTCIM). This historic edition, the first ever held in Latin America, will gather experts from over 50 countries to promote a unique exchange between traditional knowledge and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence applied to TCIM research, Indigenous health, and the discovery of new medicines from medicinal plants.
With a multilingual and inclusive program, the event will address strategic topics such as scientific evidence on major public health issues, planetary health, sustainability, and the integration of Traditional and Complementary Medicine into health systems. More than just a congress, the 3rd WCTCIM is considered a landmark for the TCIM field at the global level, as it will launch and discuss the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, which is set to have a real impact on health systems in over 170 countries committed to this agenda.
Organized in partnership by the Brazilian Academic Consortium for Integrative Health (CABSIN), the International Society for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine Research (ISCMR), and the European Society for Integrative Medicine (ESIM), the event will also serve as a strategic platform for submitting concrete proposals — such as SIGs — and consolidating global networks to shape the future of planetary health amid the climate crisis.
With the theme “Strengthening Global Public Health through Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine: Knowledge Diversity, Well-being Societies, Planetary Health”, the congress will bring together participants from over 50 countries to explore the major challenges and opportunities for TCIM at a global scale.
Plenary themes include:
(A) Diversity in TCIM modalities
(B) Integration of TCIM into health systems across the six WHO regions
(C) Evidence-based TCIM contributions to public health
(D) TCIM across the life course
(E) Education and training in TCIM
(F) Planetary health, One Health, and well-being societies
These themes shape the program and reflect the multidimensional approach of the event, connecting traditional knowledge, scientific innovation, and sustainable policy across the six WHO regions.
Call for Abstracts
In addition to the SIGs, the call for scientific abstract submissions is open until April 21, 2025. Submissions are accepted in three categories: research, case reports, and experience reports. Abstracts must be submitted in English, aligned with one of the congress’s thematic axes, and may indicate a preference for oral or poster (PDF) presentation, though final decisions will be made by the Scientific Committee.
Approved research abstracts and case reports will be published in an indexed journal. Experience reports may also be published on the IdeiaSUS platform (Fiocruz/Brazil), with video presentations including English subtitles, if needed.
https://wctcim.cabsin.org.br/new/submission
Learn more and register now: wctcim.cabsin.org.br
Contact Information: general@wctcim.cabsin.org.br
