International scientists along with experts from the Arya Vaidya Pharmacy and Research Foundation are working on policy recommendations towards globalising and standardising ayurveda research and education across countries. The outcome of the deliberations would be submitted to the government for further perusal, said P R Krishnakumar, head of AVP group of institutions
Stating that the AVP group has been spearheading important research and educational activities in ayurveda for over seven decades, the AVP Group Chief said that there has been phenomenal impact of the research both within and outside India.
“It is one of the few traditional medical systems with written manuscripts and documents unlike others,” he added.
Highlighting the findings on research front, he said that between 2003 and 2008 the AVP Hospital here was involved in a National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA study for scientific evaluation of Ayurveda. “This was done in collaboration with the University of Los Angeles, California and University of Washington, Seattle. The study proved that scientific validation of ayurvedic clinical practices is possible with contemporary medicine”.
“AVP inked a research agreement with Latvia University and the Ministry of AYUSH to facilitate research on diabetes. Extensive studies are planned in diabetes including regional collaboration with the Avinashilingam University here to study Ayurvedic Diabetic wound management in collaboration with an European University.”
“The foundation has, in association with Molecular Diagnostics, Counselling Care and Research Centre, Coimbatore and the University of Milano, Italy undertaken a study on management of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (a rare disease condition that reduces the life expectancy of affected individuals to just 26 years) through Ayurveda.”
On the impact on Ayurveda education, he said that the World Health Organisation had set benchmarks for professional training in ayurveda in 2010. “We introduced it in accordance with the WHO and Swiss Regulatory directives in 2013. Today, traditionally established ayurveda treatments need prove their efficacy no longer, but challenge those who are sceptical about it to prove their non-efficacy.”
“The institute’s MoU with Latvia University facilitated implementation of a short term course there, and helped in establishment of clinics in Latvia, Sweden, Turkey, Hungary, Slovenia, Estonia, Germany, Bulgaria and Serbia.”
AVP group has established medical facilities in Malysia and Singapore.
Agreements exist between organisations in Russia and CIS countries, Japan, Thailand and New Zealand. The AVP research foundation is poised to sign agreements for conduct of joint training programmes in the US - with South California University, and in Korea through Indo-Korean collaborators.
“We are already engaged in complementing governmental initiatives to position ayurveda as a soft power,” Krishnakumar said.