Lok Sabha Question No. 163 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-02
Subject: Traditional Systems of Medicine
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: Poonam (Mahajan) Vajendla Rao

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.163

TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 nd  February, 2024

## 'Traditional Systems of Medicine'

## 163. SHRIMATI  POONAM MAHAJAN:

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

- a) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  Government  has  taken  into  account  the  paradox  in  the standardization  of  Indian  traditional  systems  of  medicine,  especially  Ayurveda  which evolved around 1500 BC, by using the methodology of modern science;
- b) if  so,  how  the  holistic  method  of  Ayurveda  is  analysed  by  the  reductionist  method  of research methodology of modern medicine;
- c) whether it is also a fact that the Government has paid keen attention to include a robust holistic research methodology of Ayurveda in the curriculum of its post-graduate studies, considering  the  directive  of  World  Health  Organisation  (WHO)  which  recommends  to follow  the  holistic  research  methodology  in  the  practice  of  traditional  systems  of medicine; and
- d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF AYUSH (SHRI SARBANADA SONOWAL)

(a) & (b) Government of India, Ministry of Ayush has set up Central Council for Research in  Ayurvedic  Sciences  (CCRAS),  an  autonomous  organization  for  undertaking,  co-ordinating, formulating, developing and promoting research on scientific lines in Ayurvedic sciences. The Council conducts research in the diverse areas comprising of Clinical Research, Medicinal Plant Research, Drug Standardization & Quality Control; Pharmacological Research and Literary & Fundamental  Research  to  generate  tangible  evidence. Further,  under  its  Literary  Research Programme,  the  Council  has  taken  up  the  publication  of  various  books  of  Ayurveda  from manuscripts.  The  CCRAS  has  also  taken  up  a  project  Validation  and  Reliability  Testing  of Ayurveda  Diagnostic  Methods  for  validation  of  Ayurveda  Diagnostic  Methods  and  has  also published Standardized Prakriti Assessment Scale and Swasthya Assessment Scale for analysis of patients on various Ayurveda parameters such as Prakriti and Swasthya. The CCRAS is also conducting  Clinical  trials  for  validation  of  Classical  Ayurvedic  formulations  and  for  new Ayurvedic  drug  development  adopting  prevalent  guidelines  such  as  Good  Clinical  Practices Guidelines for Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani drugs (GCP-ASU), Ministry of Ayush and Ethical guidelines for Bio-Medical Research (ICMR), WHO guidelines for traditional medicines etc. as per requirement.

Pharmacopoeia  Commission  for  Indian  Medicine  &  Homoeopathy  (PCIM&H)  under Ministry of Ayush, lays down the quality standards for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani & Homeopathy (ASU&H) drugs in the form of Pharmcopoeial monographs developed by a holistic  approach using  traditional  parameters  as  well  as  modern  analytical  methods.  These  Pharmacopoeial standards serve as official compendia for ascertaining the Quality Control (identity, Purity and strength) of the ASU&H drugs, included therein, as per Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules 1945, thereunder. Besides, as per regulation 10 of National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine (NCISM) (Minimum Standards of Undergraduate Ayurveda Education) Regulations2022 i.e. methodology and technological development in Indian Systems of Medicine (SMASTD-ISM) has been provided.

(c) & (d) The NCISM has included subject Research Methodology in the Syllabus of PostGraduate Ayurveda Programme. In the Post-Graduate Regulation, which is under consideration of NCISM, thrust areas of research for each specialty have been specified.

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