Lok Sabha Question No. 631 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-09
Subject: Dialogue between Practitioners of Different Medical Treatment
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: Rajendra Dhedya  Gavit

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 631 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.12.2022

## DIALOGUE BETWEEN PRACTITIONERS OF DIFFERENT MEDICAL TREATMENT

## 631.   SHRI  RAJENDRA  DHEDYA  GAVIT ;

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

- (a)        whether  Government  has  ever  taken  any  concrete  steps  to  organize  long-term  dialogue between the practitioners of different systems of medical treatment to lay a path ahead to effectively  treat  patients  suffering  with  diseases  of  serious  nature  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) if not, whether the Government proposes to organize such dialogue with a view to find out effective solutions to treat illnesses; and
- (c)      whether Government proposes to set a high-level working group of medical experts and representatives of premier research institutions belonging to different systems of medicinal treatment; and
- (d)     if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF AYUSH (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a) & (b)   Yes, Sir.   All the five Research Councils {Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences  (CCRAS);  Central  Council  for  Research  in  Siddha  (CCRS);  Central  Council  for Research    in  Unani  Medicines  (CCRUM);  Central  Council  for    Research  in  Homoeopathy (CCRH); and Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN)}  functioning under  the  aegis  of  Ministry  of  Ayush,  since  their  inception,  have  been  undertaking  clinical research studies involving domain experts from modern medicine in the development of research protocols, consultations during the implementation of the study, follow-up of patients enrolled in the studies, as and when required.   Few examples wherein experts from modern medicine were involved  in  research  studies,  are  acute  encephalitis,  cancer,  COVID-19,  diabetes  and  its complications, hypertension, dyslipidemia, trigeminal neuralgia, haemohpilia, acute otitis media, dengue, depression, schizophrenia, chronic kidney disease etc.

The  Ministry  of  Ayush  has  also  constituted  an  inter-disciplinary  Ayush  Research  & Development Task Force for initiating, coordinating and monitoring the R&D activities in the Ayush Sector related to  SARS-COV-2 virus  and COVID-19 disease.  This Task Force consists

of  eminent  scientists,  medical  professionals,  members  and  representatives  from  CSIR,  ICMR, DBT,  Traditional  Medicine  Unit  (WHO),  UGC,  AIIMS,  AIIA,  CCRAS,  CCRS,  CCRUM, CCRH  and  NMPB.  The  Task  Force  has  formulated  guidelines  for  Ayush  clinical  and observational studies in COVID-19, covering various aspects of clinical trial protocols.

(c) & (d) A high-level working group of Secretaries of Science Research Departments/Ministries, has been formed and  constituted  by the Government very recently in August,  2022  to  ensure  better  synergy  and  increased  coordination  of  the  projects  for  Ayush research.   This Working Group, namely 'National Ayush Inter-Ministerial Research Committee (NAIMRC)', under Chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, has following Members:

- (i) Secretary (DST), Department of Science and Technology;
- (ii)  Secretary (DBT), Department of Biotechnology;
- (iii)  Secretary (DSIR), Department of Scientific and Industrial Research;
- (iv)  Secretary (DPIIT), Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade;
- (v)  Secretary (DoC), Department of Commerce;
- (vi)  Secretary (MoEF&CC), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; and
- (vii)  Deputy  Director  General  (Dr.  N.  Srikanth),  Central  Council  for  Research  in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), as Member Secretary.

In  addition,  all  the  Research  Councils  have  set-up  different  scientific  bodies  such  as Scientific  Advisory  Board,  Special  Committee  for  Clinical  Research,  Special  Committee  for Fundamental Research, Special Committee for Drug Providing and Special Committee for Drug Standardization,  and  Institutional  Ethics  Committees  for  authenticating  the  research  protocols developed for undertaking research studies.

The  experts/members  in  these  Committees  guide  in  the  development  of  research proposals.

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