Contrary to what Dr.Harish M Tharayil has stated, the Ayurvedic
courses were not introduced with the sole intention of making theses
degrees in par with MBBS. It was under the guidance of the WHO, that
the central government of India decided to implement these. And the
WHO has a very strong reason for it. In developing countries like
India 75% of the people still depend on traditional medicine. There
are many parameters for this, “accessibility” and “affordability”
being a few. Taking this into consideration, WHO defined a strategy to
efficiently use these traditional medicines. Quoting from “WHO
Traditional Medicine strategy 2002-2005” –
“The WHO Traditional Medicines Strategy 2002–2005 reviews the status
of TM/CAM globally, and outlines WHO’s own role and activities in TM/
CAM. But more importantly it provides a framework for action for WHO
and its partners, aimed at enabling TM/CAM to play a far greater role
in reducing excess mortality and morbidity, especially among
impoverished populations. The strategy incorporates four objectives:
1. Policy — Integrate TM/CAM with national health care systems, as
appropriate, by developing and implementing national TM/CAM policies
and programs.
2. Safety, efficacy and quality — Promote the safety, efficacy and
quality of TM/CAM by expanding the knowledgebase on TM/CAM, and by
providing guidance on regulatory and quality assurance standards.
3. Access — Increase the availability and affordability of TM/CAM, as
appropriate, with an emphasis on access for poor populations.
4. Rational use — Promote therapeutically sound use of appropriate TM/
CAM by providers and consumers.
Implementation of the strategy will initially focus on the first two
objectives. Achieving the safety, efficacy and quality objective will
provide the necessary foundation for achieving the access and rational
use objectives.”
The below given is the link to the WHO document -
http://www.who.int/medicines/publications/traditionalpolicy/en/index.html
Traditional Medicine(TM) and Complementary and Alternative medicine
(CAM) cannot be seen in the same light. TM is something that was
developed along with the human civilization as was the food we eat
today. Clearly it’s the trial and error method that has been followed.
Only drugs that are safe and effective are passed on to the coming
generations. So, people assume the drugs existing today are relatively
safe. All the same if a medicine that is more effective and safe is
discovered, the traditional ayurvedic drugs are gladly abandoned by
ayurvedic practitioners themselves. For example, in the book written
by P.S.Varrier (the founder of Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala), though he
has discussed the traditional cure for rabies, he has advocated the
use of modern medicine for it, as it is a better cure. But earlier, it
wouldn’t happen as the physicians were dogmatic.
This broad minded perspective is the result of the study of modern
science along with ayurveda. And this is exactly what the CCIM hopes
to achieve with the introduction of BAMS and MD courses in ayurveda.
The syllabus also encourages the students to critically and rationally
weigh the Ayurvedic science which keeps them from believing and
encouraging the “irrational and hollow” claims made by people like
Ramdev about Ayurveda. The irony here is that it was the doctors of
modern medicine from the IMA unit of Bihar who credited and
felicitated Ramdev!!!
Now coming to the three year MD courses, I happen to be a MD in
Ayurveda Pharmacology, graduated from “Government College Of
Ayurveda”, Hyderabad. There are over 500 drugs in Ayurveda to date,
and it is the pharmacological and toxicological study of one among
these 500 drugs that is done in the 3 years of MD. The classes and
labs are arranged at renowned institutions like “National Institute Of
Nutrition (NIN)”, “Indian Institute Of Chemical Technology (IICT)” and
“Center For Cellular And Molecular Biology (CCMB)”, all in Hyderabad.
The sad part is that it has not been implemented to the fullest. The
problem is not with the syllabus, but with the dogmatic outlook of the
modern science scientists, which hampers effective research. Then
again it is the same scientists who claim that Ayurveda is not a
scientifically proved science. Again an irony!!!
WHO statistics show that 75% of India’s population depends on TM. Even
in cities which boast of high end modern science facilities, a large
chunk of people turn to Ayurvedic treatment. Main reason is the
unscientific and unethical practice of modern science by the doctors.
They never care to explain the side effects of their medicines to the
patients, which results in them loosing the trust of the patients. As
a result the highly used paracetamol tablets now come with an
“injurious to liver” label.
In developed countries it is mandatory for a doctor to clearly explain
the pros and cons of a medicine to the patient. This gives the
patients the freedom to choose. It is possible with modern medicine as
they have a very clear documentation.
This is what Ayurveda lacks. In today’s scientifically advanced
situation, it is a very easy task to study a drug in detail. If it is
done in Ayurveda too, the patient will have the same freedom to choose
as with the modern medicine.
The next question is “Whose responsibility is it?”! Considering that
three fourths of our country’s population depends on TM, it is the
government which should take the initiative with full co-operation
from the modern medicine scientists. At present only a meager 5% of
the country’s total health budget is put aside for Ayurveda. Whether
a full fledged research can be implemented with this mere resource,
I’m not so sure!!!
Finally, about a large number of “intelligent students” opting for
these courses, it is very true!! The closing rank for the BAMS course
in “Kottakal Ayurveda College” last year was below 3000, the third
choice after MBBS and BDS. These days’ parents as well as students
make career choices purely based on “market value”. It is the same
“ignorance” which makes hundreds of “intelligent students” to join the
n – number of private medical colleges in Karnataka. They spend five
years without proper faculty to teach them, without proper
infrastructure to practice. Finally when they come out, they would’ve
hardly ever seen a real patient. For that matter hardly even touched a
syringe! What a huge national waste!!!
Dr.P.Viswanathan,
Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala Agency,
Hyderabad – 38.
On Nov 25, 5:25 pm, Harish M Tharayil <
drharis...@gmail.com> wrote:
> The problem started soon after Independence when the govt (I don't know
> when, which or who) decided to make Ayurveda and homeo courses last 4.5 plus
> one year internship. THe DAM, DHM etc were first converted to BAM, BHM etc
> and later to BAMS, BHMS etc. Soon BSMS was added in Tamilnadu.
> This was done with the sole intention of making these degrees at par with
> MBBS. This was not based on the course content duration of study etc. The
> govts started equating them with MBBS and giving similar pay and allowances,
> though they handle only less than one tenth of patients. Now they have even
> 3 year MD courses where what they study remains a mystery. I don't think
> there are separate U G and PG level text books in these subjects. So the
> underlying issue is clear - it is practice and practice only. As Viswan said
> most of doctors qualified in scientific medicine have not imbibed the true
> spirit of science nor its methods. It is only with the advent of EBM that
> doctors have started to look beyond 'evidence' which is based on eminence.
> Another issue is the laissez faire doctrine which allows any body to produce
> and market his product. The only regulator is whether you are able to make
> people buy your offering. Products licensed to be sold as general health
> remedies are then advertised and sold as remedies for specific illnesses.
> This is what is happening to Kamilari, cholesterol QR and most others. The
> regulators might not be aware that it is their job to control such
> deviations. Ignorance is bliss not because it is a proverb, but because it
> earns you MONEY.
> The tragedy is that a huge number of young intelligent students are
> recruited in to this foul racket, just out of ignorance of their parents and
> themselves. WHAT A HUGE NATIONAL WASTE !!! WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT TO PUT
> AN END TO THIS ???
>
> 2009/11/25 P. Vijaya Kumar <
pvij...@gmail.com>
>
>
>
> > Dear Dr Viswanathan,
>
> > Very well written piece I thought. (Came from the heart, did it not?)
> > Congrats.
> > If in the medical community you are finding few friends, you can imagine
> > what it is like among lay people.
> > Almost everyday, in both the college I teach in and in my social life, I
> > come across appalling instances of pious ignorance about diseases and their
> > causes and remedies. When I find myself almost totally isolated I counter
> > with what I call my PPT or "Pey Patti Theory".
>
> > I tell people that the true test of their faith in CAM will come when *
> > they* are bitten by a mad dog.
> > Whose "theory" or "narrative" about what is happening or will happen to one
> > who is developing rabies will you believe? The "narrative" of Louis Pasteur
> > and that of the practitioners of modern science or that of an homeopath or
> > Ayurvedic practitioner?
> > You are free to try any treatment I tell them. But if you do anything other
> > than have anti rabies shots, I follow, "I will admire your courage but
> > attend your funeral."
>
> > I've used this argument with a number of people. Sadly not too many are
> > convinced. Not even students of science. Not even after I give details of
> > the Benveniste case (the "memory of water" scam) or the debate in Nature or
> > Ben Goldacre's terrific chapter on homeopathy in "Bad Science".
>
> > But one continues to try.
>
> > So keep up the good work, dear doctor. I think you are doing a very great
> > job.
>
> > Warm regards,
> > P. VK
>
> > 2009/11/24 viswanathan chathoth <
visw...@gmail.com>
>
> > Dear Harish, Sashi;
>
> >> The CAM scams are squeezing our people mercilessly. Somehow, at least in
> >> Kerala, it is not 'politically correct' to criticise CAM.May be, the same
> >> holds true for most of India. Governemt spends crores on setting up and
> >> maintaining homeopathic hospitals and homeopathic medical colleges, and is
> >> now including it along with all other CAM modalities, as legitimate branches
> >> of medicine in the soon to be established health university. ( I understand
> >> this is at variance with the report submitted by Dr.Ekbal, who suggested a
> >> university for modern medicine.) Certainly, scientific evidence for
> >> homeopathy is not very different from that for astrology. Astrology is not
> >> yet a course of study in universities of Kerala, i feel, only because of
> >> historical reasons, not out of our commitment -as a society -to scientific
> >> temper.
> >> One may consider at least a few groups in our society to be natural
> >> allies of scientific medicine: Practitioners of biomedicine and people
> >> professing allegience to materialistic politico-philosophical ideas, for
> >> example.
> >> Curiously, we hardly ever see any principled objection to CAM exploitation
> >> from practitioners of modern medicine.(Harish's long, lone fight being an
> >> exception that proves the rule) My guess is that this is because most see it
> >> only as a matter of professional rivalry -at the most. They soon learn to do
> >> what they do with their fellow-practitioners of biomedicine, adopting a
> >> policy of live and let live. In any case, as Sashi indicated, the modern
> >> medicine establishment is really big, and there is still not enogh
> >> competition from CAM to hurt the deeper pockets.
> >> Most practitioners of biomedicine hardly ever develop any critical
> >> understanding of CAM modalities. Like other people with science education
> >> in India, majority of medical practitioners never develop a scientific
> >> worldview. The neurosurgry professor who would prostrate before the
> >> superhuman 'siddhi' of a swami whose speciality is breaking coconut over his
> >> skull and a space scientist who would offer 'thulabhaaram' at Guruvayyor
> >> temple and expects the magic of balaji to help getting his satellite in
> >> orbit; are two representatives of the same system of education.My most
> >> recent reminder of this sad fact was provided by a young colleague, with
> >> post graduate qualification. The question , put to me as a person who knows
> >> the locality better , was: " Who is a good homeopathic doctor around here?
> >> my daughter is getting tonsillitis too frequently"
>
> >> CAM is not a concern for leftists , either. November issue of
> >> sasthragathi (published by KSSP, committed to the motto, 'science for social
> >> revolution' ) carries an article from a yoga advocate that vehemently
> >> attacks Dr.Manoj Komath's earlier article on Yoga, that we discussed here
> >> earlier.It says : " There is a common factor to controversies in our
> >> country- the idea that Sanskrit, upanishads, ayurveda, homeopathy,
> >> naturopathy, and yoga are anyway unscientific, and that we a few
> >> progressives should oppose all these, thus blindly marginalizing these
> >> (sanskrit,upanishads etc..)". The writer accuses that Manoj's is not a
> >> Marxist approach.
> >> Scientific temper is nobody's child in India.
> >> Viswanathan
> >> 2009/11/19 Harish M Tharayil <
drharis...@gmail.com>
>
> >>> I am raising a related issue. Now a days we see several articles in
> >>> health magazines written by specialist of Complementary and Alternative
> >>> medicine (CAM). We also see several talks being given by them on TV
> >>> channels. The organization and style is the same. It starts with a brief
> >>> overview of basic anatomy, physiology and later pathophysiology
> >>> and pathology of the disease. Even genetic / endocrinolgical
> >>> / cellular level alterations are explained as if copied from an authentic
> >>> medical text book on the subject. But later on as they proceed to treatment
> >>> part, the language changes to nonspecific predictions and claims which are
> >>> too good to be true. I recently heard a talk in Kairali People channel in
> >>> which a homeopath from Tvm was clearly explaining the genetic abnormalities
> >>> underlying cancer. But he was upset that majority of his patients come for
> >>> treatment after radio / chemo therapy. Because of this he is unable to give
> >>> 100% cure. But a few people come to him in the earliest phase who get 100%
> >>> cure for their cancer. The talk would impress even a specialist as he quotes
> >>> eloquently from text books, explaining the nuances in plain
> >>> simple Malayalam. Gullible public may believe in the authenticity of such
> >>> claims and risk their life. He may be labeling several persons as having
> >>> cancer and extracting money as there is no way to confirm or refute
> >>> his claims / diagnosis. In the field of mental health too we have been
> >>> seeing this. CAM specialists claim that they have cured autism, learning
> >>> disorder. ADHD etc using their specific treatment. Any one who knows English
> >>> can buy a medical text book, read it and quote from it. This creates an
> >>> impression on the listener who believes that the speaker is an authority.
> >>> But what he says after that is not backed by the same text book. The system
> >>> of medicine he learnt has not even a word to say about
> >>> the particular condition in which he claims to be an expert. There is not
> >>> much mention of Cancer in homeopathy / ayurveda text books. But still they
> >>> pretend to have the know;ledge and mislead public.
> >>> A clinical psychologist who runs a talk show on mental health in the same
> >>> channel was openly soliciting CAM practitioners to his fold and making
> >>> claims about how much they could benefit by collaborating with each other.
> >>> Is there any violation of law involved in all these ? What can be done ?
>
> >>> 2009/11/18 viswanathan chathoth <
visw...@gmail.com>
>
> >>> >Gymnema sylvestre , Gur mar (Hindi )( Chakkarakolli in Malayalam) has
> >>>> a longer presence. Chewing leaves of the latter does temporarily numb the
> >>>> taste buds that senses sweetness but how that can have an effect on blood
> >>>> sugar, I cannot imagine.
> >>>> The following explanation is from the article "Gymnema sylvestre -a
> >>>> memoir" by , Kanetkar P, Singhal R, Kamat M. published in J Clin
> >>>> Biochem Nutr. 2007 September; 41(2): 77–81
>
> >>>> "The atomic
>
> ...
>
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