Hanoi: Vietnam has abundant medicinal resources and a traditional medicine system built on knowledge and experience accumulated over generations. These advantages can support traditional medicine, the medicinal materials industry, and wellness products and services for tourists.
Unlocking this potential requires conserving genetic resources, standardising growing areas, improving medicinal material quality, and strengthening scientific research. Product development must remain linked to preserving traditional cultural values.
Building a foundation for traditional medicine
Vietnam is home to more than 5,117 species of medicinal plants and fungi, 408 animal species, 52 species of marine algae, and 75 types of minerals used for medicinal purposes. These resources support traditional medicine, the pharmaceutical industry, and the bioeconomy.
Assoc. Prof. and Dr Nguyen Tuan Hung, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Traditional Medicine, said the resources provide a foundation for developing traditional medicine and high-value medicinal products. The sector needs to move from fragmented exploitation towards standardised production, advanced technologies, and value-chain cooperation.
Overexploitation and inadequate controls are depleting valuable medicinal plant genetic resources. Growing areas meeting GACP-WHO standards remain limited, cooperation among the State, scientists, businesses, and farmers has not produced the expected results, and domestic supplies meet only around 25–30% of demand.
The sector needs better policies, national standards, planned growing areas, and stronger controls over raw-material quality and origin. Experts said science is the “key” to increasing the value of medicinal materials and called for production to be linked with the market.
Policy orientations open new opportunities
Resolution No. 72-NQ/TW calls for combining traditional medicine with modern medicine in training, disease prevention, medical examination, and treatment. On July 9, 2026, Decision No. 1250/QD-TTg approved a plan to implement Notice No. 68-TB/VPTW, issued on May 26, 2026 by the Party Central Committee's Office. On October 13, 2026, Decision No. 1976/QD-TTg approved the national strategy for development to 2030, with a vision to 2045.
The strategy includes science and technology, digital transformation, and development of the medicinal materials industry. It aims to “shift from using traditional medicine to treat diseases towards providing comprehensive health care”, build national brands for 30 products, and develop five traditional medicine-based healthcare product and service lines for tourists.
These products and services must meet quality, safety, and scientific-evidence requirements while preserving traditional knowledge and cultural values.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
