Telling half science is like telling a full lie. Today our advocacy and justifications for promoting AYUSH as medical science is exactly like serving full lie with half truth. We often argue that AYUSH is time tested, people were practicing AYUSH since time immemorial, all AYUSH drugs have strong empirical evidence etc. All the above narratives are lined up to prove and convince the world that AYUSH is scientific, already proven and is indeed a divine medical system.

The question our nation needs to know is, when AYUSH is already proven and tested over large number of patients by Siddhars in the case Siddha system and Ayurveda scholars in the case of Ayurveda in the great past, then why the Government is supporting various research organizations like CCRS, CCRA etc., as AYUSH products require no further research and evidence?

Perhaps our Government would not have realized the above essence but based on the scanty research contributions of these research organizations, definitely, we must believe that these research organizations would have indeed understood the truth that no great research is required for the system and that is why they have not done anything great. We do not have a single research article from these research organizations that got published in world reputed journals like Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, EMBO, PNAS, Nature, Science etc. Thanks to such approach and attitude, no single AYUSH product has ever qualified even the basic definition of drug.

For which disease, the AYUSH product will work, how soon or how long the patient have to wait for such response, how to ensure that only due to the AYUSH drug, such therapeutic effect has occurred, the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic details etc., are completely unknown but our country is proudly promoting such system as medical science and has already given legal status to all such products as ‘drug’ by including them under D&C act.

No one would object calling AYUSH as Indian Traditional Medicine. But promoting AYUSH as medical science to an extent and causing confusion among poor people in rural India only causes concern. The identity of AYUSH, its product, and the AYUSH vaidyas must be kept separate and clear from MBBS doctors and scientifically proven allopathic drugs so the poor people can use their understanding and free will to choose which stream of treatment they wish. Once such distinction is made, the adventurism of some institutionally qualified AYUSH vaidyas in private practice engaging in cross pathy and quackery will come to an end.

But today, in the name of AYUSH we are not just mocking science by not acting against cross pathy but also harming our health care system and medication health fraud to thrive and flourish.

When we say AYUSH science is ancient and it was in use when the modern medical system was not in existence, it is true. But such honest statement will not make AYUSH scientific.

In the ancient past, to determine and calculate time, people were using a specialized instrument called sand clock or hourglass. During those days, hour glass was a great invention and indeed had great utility value as well.

Was the existence of sand clock true, if someone asks, certainly, the answer would be yes. Was the sand clock used for determining the time, the answer would be, yes. Was the sand clock very useful during those days, certainly, yes. Was there no science in the sand clock, the certainly sand clock has great science.

If we ask all the above questions to AYUSH, certainly all the above questions will get favorable answers for AYUSH.

But will all such favorable answers ever make AYUSH meaningful and contemporary and worth the justification that it is scientifically proven medical science and all its products are drugs? Similarly, all those graduates who have studied such subject are doctor exactly like MBBS doctor?

Today no one would use the sand clock for determining time. The technology has advanced to an extent where the atomic clock has been invented. Even the milli to nanosecond differences also can be measured using advanced clocks.

If we portray sand clock as the earliest version of the clock is fine but if gift the sand clock to people to measure time, certainly everyone wound wonder how the sand clock can be used these days although most of them may respect sand clock.

If we promote and popularize sand clock these days as one of the most useful and valuable tool to measure time and clock is if kept in modern watch showroom and we integrate & mainstream sand clock with the time charts in Railway station, Airport, space station etc., will such an adventure appear respecting our tradition or mocking science and present generation?

Are we not mixing half science and half truth to prove our logics are complete, total and comprehensive? Are we not adopting the above style in promoting AYUSH as medical science?

Like a sand clock, AYUSH practices were also useful long, long years ago. AYUSH was indeed a great science when science had not developed and AYUSH products would have given some remedy when proven drugs were not invented. It is like something is better than nothing. The point is when best is available, why we go after nothing thinking it has something and that can provide everything. Should we not recognize the truth that nothing is better than nonsense?

As a result of our mixing of half truth and half science as complete, we have damaged both the archaic value and utility value of AYUSH. Instead, we have exposed the ugly side of AYUSH to science to question and mock.

Why are many defending AYUSH? They are defending because they are dependent on AYUSH either directly or indirectly.

We can see 4 types of people who are depending upon AYUSH

1. The vaidyas who practice AYUSH either in Government sector or in private practice

2. The AYUSH vaidyas who are engaged in cross pathy

3. ISM industries

4. Patients with some real problems but require mostly faith cure

Obviously, all those who follow and practice the principles of AYUSH and all those who are in Government AYUSH establishments support AYUSH is quite natural.

One may wonder how those who are engaged in cross pathy also vociferously support AYUSH? They have to support more ferociously and aggressively than others because of two strange situations viz.,

1. to cover up the hypocrisy that they have not moved away from AYUSH

2. to use AYUSH as burka to cross pathy

Hope our Government will recognize the truth soon and promote AYUSH as paramedical holistic wellness based system and would end cross pathy.

Dr S Ranganathan