MNC's are opposing ayurveda worldwide- Pioneer Report.

[Guest guest]

Herbal trade leaps, so do MNC ploys

Yoga Rangatia/ New Delhi

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Is Ayurveda under threat from the multinational drug lobby? Practitioners of the

traditional system believe it is. They point to the recent ban on Ayurvedic

drugs in New York, alleging that the research in prestigious American medical

journal berating Ayurveda was motivated and an "MNC conspiracy," even as natural

medicines make in-roads into Western homes.

 

 

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