Lok Sabha Question No. 704 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-26
Subject: Research on AYUSH System of Medicine
Ministry: AYUSH
Asked by: Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne, Shri Arvind Ganpat Sawant, Shri Shyamkumar Daulat Barve, Shri Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 704 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26TH JULY, 2024

## 'RESEARCH ON AYUSH SYSTEM OF MEDICINE'

## 704. SHRI SHRIRANG APPA CHANDU BARNE:

## SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT:

## SHRI SHYAMKUMAR DAULAT BARVE:

## SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV:

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

(a) the details to funds allocated/utilized for the research in Ayurveda and AYUSH System of Medicine during the last five years;

(b) whether there is a need to improve the quality of AYUSH medicines and if so, the details thereof,  and  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve  the  quality  of  Ayurvedic medicines; and

(c) whether there is a need felt to integrate allopathic and AYUSH system of medicine and if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYUSH (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

- (a) The details of funds allocated / utilized for the AYUSH System of Medicine including Ayurveda for research and other AYUSH activities by National Institutes / Councils under Ministry of AYUSH during last 5 years is placed at Annexure.
- (b) The Government is constantly taking steps for the improvement of quality of AYUSH medicine including Ayurvedic medicines. The steps taken by the Ministry of Ayush are as follows:-
- (i)  The  Drugs  &  Cosmetics  Act,  1940  and  the  Drugs    Rules,  1945  have  exclusive regulatory  provisions  for  Ayurvedic,  Siddha,  Unani  and  Homoeopathy    drugs/ medicines.

(ii)  As  prescribed  in  Drugs  and  Cosmetics  Act  1940  and  Rules  made  thereunder, enforcement of the legal provisions pertaining to Quality Control and issuance of drug manufacturing  license  of  Ayurveda,  Siddha,  Unani  and  Homoeopathic  drugs,  is vested with the State drug Controllers/ State Licensing Authorities appointed by the concerned State/ Union Territory Government.  It is mandatory for the manufacturers to  adhere  to  the  prescribed  requirements  for  licensing  of  manufacturing  units  & medicines  including  proof  of  safety  &  effectiveness,  compliance  with  the  Good Manufacturing  Practices  (GMP)  as  per  Schedule  T  &  Schedule  M-I  of  Drugs  and Cosmetics  Rules,  1945  and  quality  standards  of  drugs  given  in  the  respective pharmacopoeia.

(iii) Rule 160 A to J of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 provides the regulatory guidelines  for  approval  of  Drug  Testing  Laboratory  for  carrying  out  such  tests  of identity, purity, quality and strength of Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drugs as may be required under the provisions of these rules, on behalf of licensee for manufacture of Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drugs. As on date, 34 State Drug Testing Laboratories have  been  supported  for  strengthening  their  infrastructural  and  functional  capacity. Further, 106 laboratories are approved or licensed under the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 for quality testing of Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drugs and raw materials. (Details are available at https://ayush.gov.in/images/domains/quality\_standards/ListofAyurvedaSiddhaUnan i.pdf ).

(iv)  In  2021,  Ministry  of  Ayush  has  implemented  Central  Sector  Scheme  AYUSH Oushadhi  Gunvatta  Evam  Uttpadan  Samvardhan  Yojana  (AOGUSY).  The  total financial allocation to this scheme is Rs. 122.00 crores for five years. The components of AOGUSY scheme are as follows-

A.  Strengthening  and  up-gradation  of  Ayush  Pharmacies  and  Drug  Testing Laboratories to achieve higher standards.

B.    Pharmacovigilance of ASU&H drugs including surveillance of misleading advertisements.

C.    Strengthening  of  Central  and  State  regulatory  frameworks  including Technical Human Resource & Capacity Building programs for Ayush drugs.

D.   Support  for  development  of  standards  and  accreditation/certification  of Ayush products & materials in collaboration with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Quality Control of India (QCI) and other relevant scientific institutions and industrial R&D centres.

- (c) Yes, Sir, there is a need felt to integrate Allopathic and AYUSH System of Medicine. The steps taken by the Government are as under:-
- (i) Government of India has adopted a strategy of Co-location of AYUSH facilities at  Primary  Health  Centres  (PHCs),  Community  Health  Centres  (CHCs)  and District Hospitals (DHs), thus enabling the choice to the patients for different systems  of  medicines  under  a  single  window.  The  engagement  of  AYUSH doctors/  paramedics  and  their  training  is  being  supported  by  the  Ministry  of Health  &  Family  Welfare  under  National  Health  Mission  (NHM),  while  the support  for  AYUSH  infrastructure,  equipment/  furniture  and  medicines  is provided by the Ministry of Ayush under National AYUSH Mission (NAM), as shared responsibilities.
- (ii) In  All  India  Institute  of  Ayurveda  (AIIA)  -  New  Delhi,  the  integrative medical services are available under one roof, with the following units:
- a) Centre for Integrative Ayush Therapy (Unani,  Siddha & Homeopathy)
- b) Integrative Cancer Care Unit
- c) Centre for Integrative Dentistry
- d) Centre for Integrative Critical Care & Emergency Medicine
- e) Centre for Integrative Orthopaedics
- f) Centre for Integrative Dietetics and Nutrition
- g) Causality OPD section
- (iii) Satellite Clinical Services Units by All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA)  New Delhi at:-
- a) Integrative Medical Services Unit at Safdarjung Hospital - New Delhi
- b) Centre of Integrative Oncology (CIO) Unit AIIMS - Jhajjar.
- c) Ayurveda Wellness Centre at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy
- of         Administration, Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.
- d) Ayurveda Wellness Centre at Arogya Van, Ekta Nagar, Kevadia Forest Division, Statue  of  Unity  area  Development  and  Tourism  Governance Authority (SoUADTGA), Gujarat.

(iv)  The  Department  of  Integrative  Medicine  began  on  8  July,  2022  in  Vardhaman Mahavir  Medical  College  and  Safdarjung  Hospital,  Delhi  providing  services  like Specialty  OPD,  Panchakarma  Therapy,  Free  Ayurvedic  Medicine  Dispensary  and Dietary Consultation.

(v) Ministry of Ayush through its Research councils has undertaken various research projects  for  integration  with  modern  system  of  medicine.  Central  Council  for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has undertaken various research studies to examine the benefits and feasibility of integration of Ayurveda through the following research projects for integration of Ayurveda with modern system of medicine:

- a. Operational study to explore the feasibility of integrating Ayurveda with modern system of medicine in a tertiary care hospital (Safdarjung Hospital New Delhi) for the management of Osteoarthritis (Knee).
- b. Feasibility  of  introducing  Indian  System  of  Medicine  (Ayurveda)  in  the National Reproductive and Child Health services at Primary Health Care (PHC) level' in Himachal Pradesh.
- c. Integration of AYUSH systems in National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases & Stroke (NPCDCS)
- d. Feasibility  of  introducing  Ayurveda  Intervention  in  Reproductive  and Child Health (RCH)  in PHCs  of Selected district (Gadchiroli) of Maharashtra (Effectiveness of Ayurvedic intervention for Ante-Natal care (Garbhini  Paricharya)  at  Primary  Health  Care  level:  A  Multi  Centre Operational Study).

(vi) Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) has undertaken research studies  of  integrative  nature  using  homoeopathic  medicine  in  collaboration  with health  care  facilities  of  allopathic  system  of  medicine  in  the  following  clinical conditions:  acute  encephalitis  syndrome,  side  effects  due  to  radio/chemotherapy  in cancer,  thrombocytopenia  due  to  dengue,  diabetic  foot  ulcer,  COVID-19,  chronic kidney disease, trigeminal neuralgia, and Respiratory Sequelae of Post- Covid Cases.

(vii)  Central  Council  for  Research  in  Siddha  (CCRS)  is  currently  involved  in validating Siddha drugs through clinical trials, pre-clinical, Pharmacological / Toxicological  studies  for  acute  and  chronic  diseases  in  integrative  manner  utilizing modern  system  of  techniques  and  equipment.  During  the  pandemic  outbreak  of COVID -19  various  collaborative  clinical  studies  have  been  initiated  with  modern institutions and published research articles in indexed journals.

CCRS  has  entered  into  MoU  with  allopathy  institute  like  Government  Stanley Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Govt. Institute of Medical Sciences, Greater Noida  and  Siddha  Clinical  Research  Unit,  New  Delhi and  Govt.  Theni  medical college,  Tamil  Nadu  to  manage  and  treat  the  patients  in  the  integrative  manner  for reasonable developments.  Integrated Siddha cancer OPD has also been successfully functioning  at  All  India  Institute  of  Ayurveda  campus  aiding  the  Palliative  care  of cancer patients through Siddha system.

(viii) National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata provides Homoeopathic consultation  at  Centenary  Hospital,  Syama  Prasad  Mookerjee  Port,  Kolkata  along with mainstream medicine.

(ix)  Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine has undertaken one programme on integration of Unani Medicine in National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) in the selected district Lakimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh.

(x)     National  Institute  of  Siddha  has  conducted  clinical  trials  during  COVID-19 in collaboration with Allopathic Medical College with Siddha add-on treatment regimen along  with  standard  allopathic  care.  The  three  researches  have  been  published  in reputed,  peer  reviewed,  Pub  Med  indexed  journals.  Integrated  clinical  studies  have also been carried out in Diabetes Mellitus with Aavaarai Kudineer, Wound Healing, Psoriasis, Fistula-in-ano etc.

(xi) Institute of Teaching  and  Research  in Ayurveda,  Jamnagar  has  started conducting various research projects by keeping modern physician as Co-investigator in various disease condition.

Few areas of such integrated researches are as under:-

-  COVID-19
-  Type I diabetes
-  Thalassemia major
-  Asthma
-  Fracture

Anorectal surgeries etc.

(xii) Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga is running 20 Preventive Health Care Units of Yoga in CGHS Dispensaries. They have 4 Yoga Therapy Centres in AYUSH / Allopathy Hospitals.

(xiii) National Commission for Homoeopathy has been added as a part of third BHMS curriculum  for  Modern  pharmacology.  Also,  elective  module  on  different  Health systems  in  India  have  been  added  as  mandatory  elective  in  the  first  BHMS curriculum.  Further,  National  Medical  Commission  has  added  Ayurveda,  Yoga, Unani,  Siddha  &  Sowa  Rigpa  Homoeopathy  system  of  medicine  as  elective  in  the Internship of MBBS course curriculum.

(xiv)  Central  Council  for  Research  in  Homoeopathy  has  undertaken  25  projects  in Health Research for Integrated Medicine in Homoeopathy.

*****

The  details  of  funds  allocated  /  utilized  for  the  AYUSH  System  of  Medicine  including Ayurveda for research and other AYUSH activities by National Institutes / Councils under Ministry of AYUSH during last 5 years is as under:-

| S. No.   | Last 5 years   |   Amount Allocated (Rs. in crores) |   Amount Utilized (Rs. in crores) |
|----------|----------------|------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| 1.       | 2019-20        |                             847.55 |                            841.89 |
| 2.       | 2020-21        |                            1205.08 |                           1177.6  |
| 3.       | 2021-22        |                            1318.73 |                           1289.14 |
| 4.       | 2022-23        |                            1357.98 |                           1321.47 |
| 5.       | 2023-24        |                            1449.12 |                           1397.44 |
| Total    | Total          |                            6178.46 |                           6027.55 |