A problem facing information retrieval and exchange among international med
ical practitioners and researchers is the lack of a knowledge structure or
conceptual framework that relates concepts used in the Western medical syst
em to those used in non-Western medical systems. This paper presents challe
nges we have encountered in attempting to develop a general conceptual fram
ework to cover concepts and terminology used for information retrieval in t
he field of complementary and alternative medicine. This is a broad field t
hat has not been covered appropriately in knowledge organization systems su
ch as classification schemes, thesauri, and terminology databases. The obje
ctive of the project is to improve significantly the efficiency and the qua
lity of cross-language and cross-cultural information exchange and knowledg
e discovery by facilitating concept mapping and information retrieval betwe
en Western and Eastern medical traditions. Major facets of the conceptual f
ramework include Diagnostic Categories, Therapeutic Preparations, Human Ana
tomy, Selected Diseases/Medical Conditions, and Basics of Traditional Syste
ms. The paper discusses issues of subject coverage, the representation of m
edical concepts in the conceptual framework, incorporation of concept names
that have existed in individual traditional systems, and the relationships
among concepts. Findings reported are primarily from current work that foc
uses on Traditional Chinese Medicine.