Traditional and Alternative Medicine (TAM) has gained increasing attention as a complementary approach to conventional healthcare. However, the acceptance and perspectives of physicians toward TAM remain insufficiently explored in many local contexts. This study examined the level of acceptance, perspectives, and factors influencing medical doctors’ willingness or hesitancy to advise TAM in Zamboanga City, Philippines. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed involving 230 medical doctors from public and private healthcare institutions. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire and supplemented by in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses underwent thematic analysis.

Findings revealed that 74.8% of respondents demonstrated high acceptance of TAM, 21.3% expressed neutral or conditional acceptance, and 3.9% reported low acceptance. Many physicians perceived that TAM could improve patient satisfaction and quality of life. Despite generally positive attitudes, most respondents reported only slight to moderate comfort discussing TAM with patients, and many rarely initiated conversations about it. Over half supported the provision of TAM services by physicians trained in TAM in collaboration with Department of Health-registered professionals, with integration preferred in primary care or hospital-based settings. However, hesitancy toward recommending TAM was largely influenced by concerns regarding insufficient scientific evidence and regulatory limitations. Interest in professional training in TAM, particularly acupuncture and herbal medicine, was also notable.

Overall, the findings suggest a growing openness among physicians toward the integration of TAM, while emphasizing the need for stronger scientific evidence, regulatory frameworks, and professional education to support its safe and evidence-based incorporation into healthcare practice.

Yousef T. Naeem, RN, MD, MPH, is a physician, researcher, and public health advocate based in Zamboanga city, Philippines. He earned his Doctor of Medicine – Master in Public Health (MD–MPH) degree from Ateneo de Zamboanga University School of Medicine and ranked top 9 in the 2025 Philippine Physician Licensure Examination, demonstrating academic excellence and strong clinical competence. Prior to pursuing medicine, he completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Magna Cum Laude, at Western Mindanao State University and became a licensed nurse in 2019.

His research focuses on health systems, physician decision-making, and the integration of traditional and complementary medicine within evidence-based healthcare practice. He is the lead author of the study “The Acceptance and Perspectives of Traditional and Alternative Medicine among Medical Doctors in Zamboanga City,” published in the Philippine Journal of Health Research and Development (2025). His work has been recognized in several scientific forums, including the Regional Health Research Summit and Zamboanga Peninsula Health Research competitions. 

His broader interests include patient–physician communication, community health, and strengthening policy frameworks that support safe, regulated, and evidence-based healthcare innovations, particularly in settings where traditional medicine intersects with modern clinical practice.