Lok Sabha Question No. 4991 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-04-01
Subject: Homoeopathic Medicine as an Antidote against COVID-19
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: Achyutananda Samanta

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4991 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01 st APRIL, 2022

## HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINE AS AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST COVID-19

## 4991.  SHRI ACHYUTANANDA SAMANTA :

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

(a) whether the homoeopathic medicine, Arsenicum Album  30, which has been prescribed as an antidote against COVID-19 by the Government in its guidelines issued on January 29, 2020 has been introduced after sufficient clinical test or trials;

- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor; and

(d) the steps being taken by the Government to control the usage of this medicine along with the timeline fixed for the same in view of study done by researchers from Mumbai and USA in which Arsenicum Album 30 did not show benefits, usefulness or  effectiveness  in preventing COVID-19?

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

(a) Homoeopathy  has  reportedly  been  used  for  prevention  during  epidemics,  using individualized  Homoeopathic medicine or Genus Epidemicus (GE) which means a remedy that is indicated inmost cases of the same disease is also the most likely preventive for that disease. The Genus Epidemicus is identified by observing several cases of epidemic disease and analyzing thesymptomatology of those cases for the most indicated medicine.In the past medicines identified asGenusEpidemicus was found to be effective in Influenza, Chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, etc.

On  the  emergence  of  COVID-19,  following  the  scientific  approach  of  Genus Epidemicus and the guidelines provided in the authoritative books of Homoeopathy namely 'Organon of Medicine', the experts of the Scientific Advisory Board of Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), after analyzing the prevalent symptoms of the patients of COVID-19  recommended  the  Homeopathic  Medicine  ArsenicumAlbum  30C  as  Genus

Epidemicus (prophylactic) for COVID-19. This was published by the Ministry of Ayush in its public health advisory on January 29, 2020.

(b) This Genus Epidemicus Arsenic Album 30C for COVID-19 was subsequently validated through  research  studies  undertaken  by  CCRH.  Following  prophylactic  studies  have  been undertaken  by  the  Council  to  validate  the  efficacy  of  Arsenic  Album  in  prevention  of COVID-19 and subsequently for the new variants of COVID-19.

(i) Effectiveness  of  Arsenicum  Album  30C  in  the  prevention  of  COVID-19  in individuals residing in hotspots of red zones in Delhi- A Prospective Cohort Study. (Study concluded, Manuscript accepted for publication in Journal'Homoeopathy')

(ii) Effectiveness  of Arsenicum  Album 30C  in  the  Prevention  of  COVID-19  in individuals residing  inhot  spots  or  Red  Zones  -  A  Multicentric,Randomised,  Cluster LevelControlledTrial. (Study concluded, Manuscript submitted to a journal for publication).

(iii) A comparative cohort study toevaluate the effectiveness of ArsenicumAlbum 30C in the prevention of' Influenza like illness (ILI) (Study ongoing)

(iv) Results  of  the  concluded  studies  have  shown  significant  effectiveness  in protecting  from  COVID-19  infection  when  compared  with  the  population  where  medicine was not administered.

(c) Does not arise.

(d)    While  examining a  COVID-19 related drug by the  Interdisciplinary Technical Review Committee (ITRC) constituted by the Ministry of Ayush, a research study submitted by the researchers  from  Mumbai  and  USA  was  examined  by  the  said  Committee.The  Committee observed that the clinical trial was not in compliance with Good clinical practices (GCP) and Good  Manufacturing  Practices  (GMP)  guidelines.  The  effectiveness  of  Arsenicum  Album 30C  in  COVID-19  has  been  validated  by  Central  Council  for  Research  in  Homoeopathy (CCRH) through various studies as mentioned in (b).

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