Implementation of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in health care system

The recommendation of 56^th World Health Assembly regarding the implementation of CAM into national health care systems, was met by Serbia with the three steps: the action of the state, the action of the civil society and the international cooperation. The new Health Care Law legalized CAM in 2005. Methods, conditions for practicing and obtaining work permits were regulated by the bylaw in 2007. In 2008, the Ministry of Health established the Commission for Implementation of CAM methods and practices, which started to issue work permits to practitioners and institutions where CAM is practiced.
             In the action of civil society, practitioners of CAM were organized in two ways. At first, associations as reference centers for specific CAM methods were established, based on four elements: professional codex, register of practitioners, continual education and institution of supervision. Many members of CAM associations formed the Section for Traditional Medicine as a part of the Association of the Public Health of Serbia. Section for Traditional Medicine established 6 working groups with the following goals: improvement of legislation and professionalism in the area of CAM, interdisciplinary cooperation, cooperation with the health care system, encouragement of natural delivery and biological food production. International cooperation was determined by the strategy of the state and civil society. Implementation of CAM was determined by integrative approach based on collaboration of conventional and CAM health care professionals. UNDP and UNOPS Programs related to this topic, as well as International Project with the region of Toscana, where integrative health care concept was implemented, were started with the purpose to strengthen the activities of CAM implementation in Serbia. This combined approach contributed to the organized way of CAM implementation into the health care system of Serbia.