The result was merge to Alternative medicine. This has been quite a wide-ranging discussion, so let me see if I can break it down. In terms of pure numbers, I counted 5 keeps, 3 merges, 4 redirects, 2 redirect/deletes, and 3 deletes. The "keeps" mostly pointed to the availability of sources on the subject, which do seem to be numerous and independent of each other. Two of the "deletes" argued that the term was a neologism, but I found this argument less persuasive as the secondary sources pointed out by the "keeps" discuss the term itself in detail. (From WP:NOTNEO: "To support an article about a particular term or concept we must cite what reliable secondary sources, such as books and papers, say about the term or concept, not books and papers that use the term.")
Of most importance to finding consensus, however, were the arguments about whether whole medical systems constitutes a distinct subject to alternative medicine or not. Opinions ran the gamut from considering the two subjects as completely separate, to treating whole medical systems and alternative medicine as fully synonymous terms. This was not an easy decision to make due to the variety of opinions, but when weighing the arguments up, a selective merge/redirect to alternative medicine seemed to have slightly more support than the other positions, and to be a good compromise between the "keeps" and the "deletes". — Mr. Stradivarius ( have a chat) 13:44, 13 September 2012 (UTC) reply
From what I can see this is a neologism with only minor usage. IRWolfie- ( talk) 11:33, 4 September 2012 (UTC) reply
Comparative studies of medical systems offer a general model for medicine as a human science. These studies document that medicine, from an historical and cross‐cultural perspective, is constituted as a cultural system in which symbolic meanings take an active part in disease formation, the classification and cognitive management of illness, and in therapy.
Alland (1970) attempts to compare whole medical systems in his evolutionary framework. General comparisons of Asian, African and Western medical systems are found in: Robin Horton, 'African Traditional Thought and Western Science. I', Africa, Vol. 37 (1967),...
The reader would benefit most, in my opinion, if a search for "whole medical system" took her/him to the alternative medicine page directly where the term's fuzzy boundaries in relation to other CAM can be fully explored directly against other subclassifications. — Scien tizzle 14:29, 12 September 2012 (UTC) replyBiologically-based practices (including dietary supplements, botanicals, animal-derived extracts, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, proteins, probiotics, whole diets and functional foods).
Energy medicine (including visible light, magnetism, laser beams, other electromagnetic forces, and biofields such as ki, doshas, prana, atheric energy, and mana)
Manipulative and body-based practices (including chiropractic manipulation, osteopathic manipulation, massage therapy, reflexology, Bowen technique, Alexander technique)
Mind-body medicine (relaxation, hypnosis, visual imagery, meditation, yoga, biofeedback, qi gong, cognitive behavioural therapies and spirituality)
Whole medical systems (including traditional Chinese medicine, ayurvedic medicine, naturopathy, homeopathy, and acupuncture).