Why in News: A social media debate has sparked renewed discussion on whether AYUSH practitioners can legally claim to be doctors and prescribe modern medicine.
1. Historical Context
- Bhore Committee (1946): Favoured evidence-based modern medicine and discouraged traditional systems.
- Committee on Indigenous Systems of Medicine (1948): Framed Ayurveda as a symbol of Hindu nationalism.
Legal Recognition:
- 1970: Indian Medicine Central Council Act recognized AYUSH practitioners.
- 2020: Replaced by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act.
2. Conflicting Medical Frameworks
- AYUSH training mixes metaphysical concepts (doshas, atmas) with modern science.
- There is no scientific common ground—e.g., dosha theory vs. germ theory.
3. Legal Disputes
- Rule 2(ee) of Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945: Allows state governments to let non-MBBS practitioners prescribe modern medicines.
- SC Verdict (1998): AYUSH practitioners cannot legally prescribe allopathic medicines.
- States continue to allow it, leading to litigation by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
- Patients have filed consumer complaints after being misled.
4. Surgery and Scope of Practice
- 2020 Notification: Allowed AYUSH postgraduates to perform 58 surgeries.
- Raises concerns over use of anaesthesia, antibiotics, and quality of care.
- Judicial review of the notification is pending.
5. Public Health and Employment Concerns
- Many hospitals replace MBBS doctors with BAMS graduates at lower costs.
- This compromises patient safety and ethical standards.
6. Political Influence
- Ayurveda is linked with Hindu pride and nationalist claims (e.g., Pushpaka Vimana).
7. Financial Implications
- ₹20,000 crore spent on AYUSH research with limited scientific output.
- Government may include AYUSH under Ayushman Bharat, increasing taxpayer burden.
Challenges in Adopting Hybrid Models (AYUSH + Modern Medicine)
1. Trust Deficit
- Mutual mistrust between AYUSH and modern practitioners.
- Anecdotal evidence used to support or dismiss treatments.
- Unverified claims (e.g., “cures” for cancer/diabetes) worsen skepticism.
2. Technical Challenges
- AYUSH is a diverse group; each system (Ayurveda, Yoga, etc.) needs separate evaluation.
- Yoga has growing acceptance due to evidence.
- Ayurveda’s dosha-based approach may not align with modern protocols.
- Medicine prescription remains a major friction point.
3. Operational Challenges
- Lack of cross-understanding—modern doctors often don’t know AYUSH systems.
- Difficult for them to verify AYUSH inputs or collaborate meaningfully.
- Patients too are not equipped to choose appropriately.
4. Regulatory Challenges
- Weak enforcement of boundaries between systems.
- Allopaths prescribing AYUSH medicines without proper knowledge and vice versa.
- Professional councils lack effectiveness in ensuring accountability.
Suggestions for Integrating AYUSH and Modern Medicine
1. Better Evidence
- Generate strong scientific evidence for AYUSH treatments to build trust.
- Use evidence to create combined treatment guidelines.
- Apply the same evidence standards to AYUSH as to modern medicine.
2. Cross-Teaching
- Ayurveda includes some modern medicine in its curriculum.
- MBBS students learning AYUSH could overload them; optional or short courses may work better.
3. Regulatory Framework
- Establish clear rules for collaboration, referrals, and accountability.
- Define acceptable interventions and ensure patient safety.
- Address insurance, compensation, and quality control within existing health policy frameworks.
4. Integrate Modern Medicine in National AYUSH Mission (NAM)
- Combine AYUSH’s holistic, preventive approach with modern medicine’s disease focus.
- Provide patients more personalized treatment options.
- Reduce pressure on modern healthcare through preventive care.
UPSC Relevance
GS Paper 2 (Governance, Polity & Social Justice):
- Health governance and policy, regulatory frameworks for healthcare systems.
GS Paper 3 (Science & Technology, Economic Development):
- Scientific validation and research in traditional medicine.
Mains Practice Question:
Q. “Critically analyse the challenges and prospects of integrating traditional AYUSH systems with modern medicine in India. How can a balanced and evidence-based approach improve public healthcare delivery?”
