How the MNC's worldwide are opposing ayurveda - Pioneer Report.

[Guest guest]

In Delhi, the street-fight over allegations on Baba Ramdev's Ayurvedic drugs

is refusing to abate. Those struggling for revival of traditional system of

medicines see a worthy cause in opposing MNCs, if that is what it takes to

encourage laypeople to go back to their roots. Baba Ramdev, whose

Yoga-for-the-common man is being beamed through television into million homes,

has become the new rallying point for the anti-MNC bandwagon. When CPM

leader Brinda Karat stirred a hornest's nest with allegations of adulteration

in Ayurvedic medicine sold by Ramdev's Divya Yog Pharmacy, the guru and his

supporters in the

political class said he was being targeted for advocating swadeshi and opposing

MNCs. Less than a week ago, New York banned Ayurvedic drugs on New Year eve

blaming them for high levels of heavy metals. "Western drug controllers

have a poor understanding of Ayurveda. Heavy metals have been used as

ingredients in Ayurvedic formulations for centuries. These formulae will

contain metals like lead, tin, zinc and even mercury. Our drug controller

attests their efficacy and safety, but drug regulators elsewhere refuse to

listen to our argument. The MNC drug lobby is very powerful in the West. The

campaign to malign Ayurveda is an MNC conspiracy," said Pramodbhai Shah,

vice-president of the Ayurvedic Drug Manufacturers Association. Baba Ramdev,

who has come to symbolise the revival of traditional systems, also happens to be

a routine MNC-basher. Like ayurvedic manufacturers who face a tough time in

prospering in the US market, the swami also perceives a common adversary in the

powerful drug lobby. From being on the fringe of the healthcare industry,

holistic healing is now a multi-billion industry worldwide. In the West,

Hollywood celebrities to former American president have endorsed Yoga and some

have even patented asanas (yogic positions). However, Ayurvedic medicines

face a formidable barrier in the West. Despite these hurdles, the herbal trade

from India stands at $5.5 billion, according

to a 1997 report by the Export Import Bank of India. There is tremendous scope

for growth, with the industry size conservatively estimated at US $62 billion

and growing. Chinese herbs fill the vast gap between demand and supply of

herbal medicines. The World Health Organisation estimates that over 80% of

the world population relies on traditional systems of medicines, largely plant

based, to meet their primary healthcare needs. Practitioners of allopathy

are beginning to turn to Ayurveda and other alternative systems for treatment

of chronic cardiac and neurological ailments. While Ayurvedic drugs are free of

side-effects, Allopathic drugs are fighting a losing battle against microbes

developing resistance. Multi-ingredient herb-based drugs can tackle this

problem effectively. The national malaria programme is now bringing in an

artemisinin-based drug in place of chloroquin. The low cost of this ayurvedic

drug also make these favourable among consumers. Despite several health

benefits, Ayurvedic manufacturers lose out allopathic drug makers in aggressive

marketing. If there is anything stopping the growth of Ayurveda as a system of

medicine, it is the powerful drug lobby which knows how to keep doctor happy,

they felt. Factfile * Yoga guru Baba Ramdev is the new rallying point for

the anti-MNC bandwagon * Ayurveda practitioners believe it is under threat

from mutinational drug lobbies worldwide * New York banned Ayurvedic drugs

on New Year eve blaming them for high levels of heavy metals * According to

a 1997 report by Export Import Bank of India, the herbal trade from India stands

at $5.5 billion * WHO says over 80% of the world population relies on

traditional systems of

medicine "Our ideal is not the spirituality that withdraws from life but the

conquest of life by the power of the spirit." - Aurobindo.

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