02 May 2024 – The Indian Express

All about AYUSH System of Medicine

The following are some advantages of traditional medical systems:

• Variety and Adaptability;
• Availability
• Cost-effectiveness,
• a wide acceptance among a sizable portion of the populace;
• Increasing Economic Worth,
• possess a great deal of potential to meet our people’s healthcare demands.

What Kinds of Hybrid Models of Current and AYUSH Medicines Are Possible?

• For the purpose of simplification, they will be referred to as competing, coexisting, and cooperative, acknowledging the possibility of hybrid circumstances.

Model of Competition:

• The two medical systems are rivals in this model. Although practitioners are always free to act as they like, there will also be name-calling at the level of professional associations or systems.
• Professional councils and associations will stand up against one another and file lawsuits. By highlighting their advantages over the other system and downplaying its shortcomings, both systems will vie for patients.
• These may have to do with their products’ efficacy, adverse effects, or unrelated elements like commercialism. Put succinctly, “in a war, all is fair.”

Model of Coexistence:

• According to the “coexistence” paradigm, each system acknowledges the validity of the others and chooses to set distinct limits so as not to infringe on each other’s territory.
• The majority of contemporary medical professionals would let patients choose whether or not to receive AYUSH care. They would counsel the patients to keep taking their medications or take accountability if they stopped. The dosage of the medication will automatically be lowered if AYUSH proves to be helpful.
• Practitioners of homoeopathy and ayurveda typically request that patients discontinue taking contemporary medications in order to begin treatment. According to this concept, various professionals could share a facility and each therapy would have its own system. There isn’t a mutual recommendation, though.

Collaboration Framework:

• The optimal integrated medicine paradigm is the “cooperation” mode, in which the two streams collaborate to provide the patient with the best care possible by recognising the strengths of the other system. The preventative and promotional aspect of contemporary medicine, which is far too medication-focused, could be improved by this.

What Kinds of Obstacles Exist in the Adoption of Hybrid Models?

Insufficient Trust Between the Two Groups:

• Numerous cases exist where patients who were under control with one therapy transitioned to an alternate course of action, which either made their condition worse or made it better.
• The majority of these are anecdotal evidence that can be used to support whatever position one may have. This is made worse by proponents of AYUSH making effective cancer or diabetes treatment claims without providing sufficient proof to back them up.

Current Technical Difficulties:

• The technological problem lies in the heterogeneous nature of AYUSH, necessitating distinct approaches and decisions for each of these therapeutic disciplines. Modern medicine practitioners are beginning to recognise yoga more and more as a means of managing and preventing various health disorders, as proof for its efficacy grows.
• The prescribing of drugs (homoeopathic/ayurvedic) will continue to be a point of dispute. For example, concerns exist about how well Ayurveda’s dosha-based management will mesh with the conventional management practices being promoted by modern medicine.

Management Based on Doshas:

• Dosha-based management is an all-encompassing method of treatment with roots in the ancient Indian medical system known as Ayurveda. It entails determining a person’s distinct constitution, or prakriti, which is established by the vata, pitta, and kapha doshas—the three basic energies—in harmony.
• Personalised suggestions for diet, lifestyle, and herbal medicines are provided based on this assessment in order to preserve or restore the balance of these doshas, hence promoting health and preventing disease.

Operating Difficulties:

• When it comes to operational difficulties, team members that use a team-based approach to work need to be aware of their own limitations as well as those of others. Because they are unaware of the AYUSH streams, modern medical professionals are unable to make an informed choice in this area.
• Given the lack of trust, they will have to take what AYUSH practitioners say at face value, which will be challenging. It is inappropriate to leave it up to the patients to make these decisions because they lack the knowledge necessary to make them.

Difficulties with Regulation:

• The regulation of this integration would be its most difficult component. Many contemporary medical professionals recommend certain ayurvedic medications without being aware of how they work. This is unacceptable, and practitioners of AYUSH should not practise contemporary medicine either.
• Although this seems sensible, there is now very little enforcement of it. The corresponding professional councils have jurisdiction over these topics. Regretfully, councils haven’t been able to encourage people to seek professional responsibility.

What are the recommendations for combining two different kinds of medications?

Making Better Evidence Available:

• Getting stronger evidence in support of AYUSH treatments is the first step. This is the only way to close the trust gap. Additionally, take advantage of this chance to eliminate inefficient AYUSH treatments. If evidence is available, composite standard treatment guidelines that incorporate the best practices from both streams may be able to be developed.
• However, AYUSH therapies must be subject to the same evidentiary standards as mainstream medicine. One of the main points of contention in this discussion has been this. For some chronic illnesses, a consensus may be reached if the evidence was examined objectively and without regard to unrelated factors. These might serve as a useful springboard for a more extensive discussion.

Teaching Contemporary Practitioners AYUSH Streams and Vice Versa:

• Some elements of modern medicine are taught in Ayurvedic courses. Should all AYUSH disciplines be taught to MBBS students as well? The MBBS curriculum is quite demanding in general, with constant pressure to emphasise particular courses more than others.
• Completing MBBS with AYUSH subjects will make matters worse. Making these tests voluntary or non-mandatory is one approach. That being said, there’s a strong chance they won’t be read at all, which would defeat the purpose.

Creating an Effective Regulatory Environment:

• It is imperative that there be a strong regulatory framework that lays out policies and procedures for practitioners of various modalities to work together, communicate, and refer patients in a safe and coordinated manner while clearly outlining accountability. It would have to specify the permissible interventions and its determination method.
• Additional regulatory concerns are to insurance benefits, remunerations, and the calibre of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. This may fall under the existing Indian framework for health technology assessments.
• The necessity for the National Ayush Mission (NAM) to incorporate contemporary medical practices
• The following are some ways that combining the National Ayush Mission with contemporary medical methods can improve healthcare delivery:
• Ayush systems can supplement modern medicine’s disease-centered approach by emphasising holistic health, which takes into account mental, physical, and spiritual factors.
• Ayush places a strong emphasis on preventative healthcare, which lessens the load on contemporary healthcare systems through dietary adjustments, lifestyle alterations, and natural medicines.
• With more treatment options available to patients, integration enables individualised care based on each patient’s preferences and conditions.

The National Ayush Mission: What is it?

• Launched during the 12 Plan for implementation through States/UTs in September 2014 by the Department of AYUSH under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• It is currently being carried out by the Ayush Ministry.
• The plan calls for growing the AYUSH industry to support Indians’ overall health.
• In order to close the gaps in health care, the Mission supports State and UT governments in their efforts to offer AYUSH health services and education across the nation, especially in remote and vulnerable areas.
• There is great potential for improving healthcare delivery through the merging of modern medicine and traditional AYUSH techniques. The coexistence paradigm permits mutual recognition and defined boundaries, but the competitive approach could result in competition and slurs. Nonetheless, the collaboration model—which combines the two systems—is the best course of action, despite the difficulties it poses, including a lack of confidence, technological incompatibility, operational coordination, and legal concerns. A more cohesive and efficient healthcare system can be achieved in the future by closing the evidence gap for AYUSH therapies, guaranteeing regulatory frameworks for cooperation, and encouraging evidence-based practices.