The concepts, fundamental principles and the rich cultural and traditional values of AYUSH are well known to the world. Although AYUSH may be missing the explanation of ‘what’ in its products is exhibiting some benefit but definitely it has several faithful believers, followers, beneficiaries and missionaries who clearly trade the benefits and promises.
It is not the science or allopathic system challenging AYUSH but the real threat of AYUSH is those institutionally qualified AYUSH Vaidyas in private practice who are engaged in cross pathy and sabotaging the merit and relevance of our ancient healing practices.
Industry too adopts different strategies and standards for promoting AYUSH products starting from wellness recipes to nutraceuticals to food supplements, to cosmetics to drugs under different circumstances. To get tax benefit and for other advantages they use the tag drug but to get easy acceptance in global market the same product is promoted by many AYUSH product manufacturers as cosmetic products, food supplements etc.
Defining the AYUSH products in different way for commercial advantage is really corroding the significance and meaning of AYUSH along with rampant cross pathy by many institutionally qualified AYUSH Vaidyas in private practice.
To popularize and ensure global acceptance for AYUSH, the Ministry of AYUSH must adopt simple and easy to relate definitions for AYUSH products. Once such simple definition is made for describing all AYUSH products, AYUSH manufacturing industries as well as the users of AYUSH products can easily dialogue the system in a simplest manner possible. When AYUSH products are promoted as drugs, naturally the allopathic system and the literate, rationale community is bound to ask scientific proof and other details. If the AYUSH products are promoted as wellness preparations, no one will have any problem in accepting and promoting all such products as they fall under the category of wellness and health products.
AYUSH is a traditional, faith based healing system. Therefore the credence and richness of AYUSH lies in promoting the products as traditional wellness preparations and only then the world can embrace the system with full flavour of tradition and can appreciate the antique values of AYUSH. The tag ‘drug’ is being poorly understood or defined with reference to promoting AYUSH products.
AYUSH is a glorious tradition and its products are proto and pre medicinal products in scientific sense. Much before the advent of the scientifically proven drugs, AYUSH products had come to human rescue. Several lead molecules of proven pharmaceutical effect has come from several medicinal plants and hence the AYUSH products worth the definition of ‘proto’ or pre medicinal products.
The term traditional products should offer great comfort to the modern day AYUSH vaidyas. The AYUSH always argue that their products are drugs, as same as the scientifically proven allopathic drugs. When such pride is used to describe AYUSH products, the vaidya community ought to explain the science but unfortunately they do not have any convincing scientific explanation to offer which in turn dilute the mission of AYUSH.
AYUSH has rich tradition, divinity and faith. The AYUSH products offer several benefits to humanity in the form of pre and proto medicinal products. Pre and proto medicinal products are required more for maintaining health and to prevent diseases. Drugs have very limited role and are prescribed only someone is sick.
The pre and proto medicinal products can be used regularly, likely to have fewer side effects and may correct the doshas as claimed by AYUSH and would further help mind-body balance. Placebo drugs are well known and are scientifically proven to have some effect for certain conditions. Metals and minerals based products of AYUSH must be dealt with caution.
AYUSH is a fantastic wellness system known to offer rich paramedical and pre-medical benefits. If a separate status to AYUSH products either as proto or pre medicinal products or as wellness products, the system will gain greater acceptance and recognition. When we try to hard-fit AYUSH products under the matrix of ‘drug’, only questions, suspicion, clarifications and science shall remain which AYUSH may find it difficult to explain.
Considering the great health potential of AYUSH, it is better AYUSH products are classified as ‘wellness substances or proto or pre medicinal products for wellness. The appropriate amendments can be made in Drugs and Cosmetic act to re-define all AYUSH formulations as ‘products’ than as ‘drugs’.
Export of AYUSH products as wellness substances or pre or proto medicinal products is much easier than promoting them as Siddha or Ayurveda drugs. Commodity trade between different countries is much easier than drug.
Such simplified definition also would help the manufacturers to deal the system easily as well the users also would look only health and wellness benefits from AYUSH products and not the benefits of real drugs. The AYUSH Vaidyas also can enhance their role as wellness and health experts to render pre-health, post disease management and for providing regular paramedical services. It is not India, the world needs the rich tradition of AYUSH to achieve healthy, happy life.
