Need for an evidence-based traditional medicine

Why in the News?

A plea has been filed by a manufacturer of indigenous drugs against a medical practitioner alleging that his social media thread affected their business.

Modern medicine

1. It became science-based in the 19^th century, where advances in technology was utilised to study the functioning of the human body in health and disease more accurately and perform surgeries and processes like dialysis for kidney failure and the heart-lung machine.
2. The idea of falsifiability (a standard of evaluation of scientific theories and hypotheses by logically contradicting with an empirical test) led to advances in evaluating medical therapies. 
3. Continually refining mode of modern science facilitated by ideas from across the world, led to abandonment of ineffective methods and build a coherent system of effective ones.
4. Modern medicine tests every new therapy and accepts it into the fold if found effective.

Traditional medical systems of India:

1. India has six recognized systems of traditional Systems of medicines:
   1. Ayurveda
      1. Has well-defined conceptual framework consistent throughout the ages.
      2. One of the first medical systems to advocate an integrated approach towards matters of health and disease.
      3. It is considered as a complete medical system that takes into account of the physical, psychological, philosophical, ethical and spiritual wellbeing of mankind. 
   2. Siddha
      1. Being closely identified with Tamil civilization, this system of medicine depends on drugs of metal and mineral origin to large extent.
      2. The diagnosis is based on ‘ashtasthana pareeksha’ (examination of eight sites) that encompasses examination of nadi (pulse), kan (eyes), swara (voice), sparisam (touch), varna (colour), na (tongue), mala (faeces) and neer (urine). 
   3. Unani
      1. With origin as Greece, it was established by Hippocrates and developed by Aristotle, which was later introduced in India by the Arabs.
   4. Yoga
   5. Naturopathy
   6. Homoeopathy
2. Challenges
   1. Lack of physiological basis such as of Ayurveda leads to assumption that its therapies are not sound.
      1. It had constrained understanding of functioning of human body due to lack of available technology. 
      2. However, it constantly emphasized on diagnoses and therapies on a sound understanding of the human body.
      3. It is based on reason-based world view rather than faith-based forms such as Atharva Veda.
   2. Ayurvedic medicines are commonly combinations of ingredients and so its interaction with each other has been uncertain.

Way forward:

1. Ayurvedic medicines have to evaluated by the methods of modern science to increase its acceptability without compromising the wholeness of Ayurvedic formulations. 
2. New investigational methods and trial designs can be used to evaluate Ayurvedic therapies without undermining the classical bases of administering them must be worked out.
3. Evidence-based appraisal of all traditional medical systems has to be carried out to retain and develop what is useful, and integrate them into one cogent system of medicine available to all.
4. Traditional medical systems should not be denounced wholesale and requires open-mindedness disciplined by scepticism.
   1. For instance, the Nobel-winning anti-malarial artemisinin was synthesised by investigators who took cues from a 1,600-year-old text of Traditional Chinese Medicine.