Alternative Medicine And Health Care In India

November 24th, 2010 |

Author:

alternative medicine in India is also indicated by the reach of the Indian Institute of Alternative Medicines, established in 1991 by Dr.Suresh Kumar Agarwal; and the appointment of Smt. S. Jalaja IAS as secretary to the Department of AYUSH.

The growing interest in, and promotion of, alternative medicine by the political and medical authorities is not confined to India. Despite being at the forefront of advances in conventional, ‘Western’ medicine, the USA provides a significant market for traditionally Indian and Chinese remedies. Organisations such as the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine contribute to the official status of alternative medicine in the USA. In the UK, a major debate took place in 2006 about whether CAM should be provided by the National Health Service (NHS). In the USA and UK, affordability of healthcare is also a key issue, raising questions about whether attachment to the Western model of medicine is appropriate even for Western societies, let alone other cultures.

A different kind of medicine?

These developments show that CAM is not an unregulated, maverick market, but is fast becoming subject to official and scientific research and regulation. Advocates of CAM argue that quacks can be weeded out by better training and standard-setting. Some also argue that criticism of alternative medicine arises from a Western bias, which distorts the facts about CAM and refuses to countenance its effectiveness. Critics, however, point to concerns about the safety of certain forms of alternative medicine. Discussions about the affordability of alternative compared to allopathic medicine lead to concerns that patients are being duped by irrational treatments that will not make them better. Shouldn’t a universal healthcare system ultimately seek to provide proven cures for illnesses, rather than taking the cheaper but less effective route of alternative medicine?

Key terms:

Complementary and alternative medicine

Conventional medicine

Preventive medicine

Quackery

AYUSH

Ayurveda

Homeopathy

Placebo effect

Essential reading

Alternative System of Health Care Indian Government

Needed: ‘basic’ doctors of modern medicine Meenakshi Gautham and K.M. Shyamprasad The Hindu 5 November 2009

When East Meets West: Why Consumers Turn to Alternative Medicine ScienceDaily 20 November 2009

In defence of scientific medicine Michael Baum Manifesto Club

Q&A: Complementary therapies BBC News Online 23 May 2006

Interview With Ashis Nandy: ‘Every tradition has its dark side’ Parshuram Ray Humanscape January 2001

For:

‘Alternative’ Medicine Is Mainstream Deepak Chopra, Dean Ornish, Rustum Roy and Andrew Weil Wall Street Journal 9 January 2009

Reflections on Ayurveda Dr Mohana Krishnaswamy The Hindu 4 September 2001

Health Care Reform Should Include Preventive Medicine Navi Radjou Harvard Business Review 7 August 2009

Holistic medicine demystified Dr Hiramalini Seshadri The Hindu Magazine 15 May 2005

Against:

Where doctors fail Dr. Sudha Vidyasagar The Hindu 5 September 2009

Sticking a needle in alternative medicine Stuart Derbyshire spiked 28 November 2007

Ayurveda under the scanner Meera Nanda The Hindu Magazine Vol 23, Issue 07, April 08 – 21, 2006

Book review: Suckers – How alternative medicine makes fools of us all Eisha Sarkar Mumbai Mirror 5 November 2009

Further reading:

An interview with Dr. V. Sukumaran MBBS, MD (ped) health and mind science consultant Malini Suryanarayanan 14 June 2000 The Hindu: Opportunties

Role of Ayurveda in the Management of Cancer Dr. Joban Modha and Dr. Neha Modha Boloji.com 2 December 2007

Focus: Alternatives in holistic healing Pratibha Gadhalay The Hindu: Opportunities 14 June 2000

Skin Deep: Ancient, but How Safe? Abby Ellin New York Times 17 September 2008

Awash in Ancient Hindu Wisdom Peter Jaret New York Times 9 March 2006

Bottling Ancient Secrets Michele Orecklin Time Magazine 31 July 2000

Placebo effect Robert T. Carroll The Skeptic’s Dictionary

Sense About Homeopathy Sense About Science September 2006

All in the mind? Anjana Ahuja The Times (London) 24 May 2006

The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine December 2008

Kerala’s Crisis in Public Health C.R. Sonam Boloji.com 3 February 2007

Complementary and Alternative Medicine May Reduce Risk of Some Diseases US Disease Control Project June 2007

In the news:

Drugs for affordable health care sought The Hindu 21 November 2009

Ayurvedic methods to cure ano-rectal ailments Naveen Kumar Times of India 21 November 2009

Promotion of Alternative Medicine System Press Information Bureau: Government of India 20 November 2009

Anaemia treatment by ayurveda from December 8 Simran Virk Times of India 17 November 2009

CM bats for alternative medicine Expressbuzz 15 November 2009

‘Need to combine Ayurveda with modern medicine’ Times of India 15 November 2009

Medicine takes an alternative route Nikhila Henry Times of India 26 September 2009

‘Homeopathy can prevent, cure swine flu’ Times of India 18 August 2009

Alternative medicine to the rescue Chitra Nair Times of India 13 August 2009,