Quackery set to invade Indian medical curriculum.

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

 

Despite the Lancet report seeking the " end of homeopathy " and the USA and Canada

Governments set to ban herbal products, these " quack " elements are all set to

find a place in the Indian medical curriculum if Dr Ambumani Ramadoss,

Honourable Union Minister for Health, Government of India, has his way. The

Minister seeks to introduce homeopathy, ayurveda and other systems of Indian

medicine into the new medical curriculum to be introduced two years from now.

Similiarly he also proposes to introduce the holistic medical colleges to the

allopathic principles.

 

Reports the Times of India, September 21, in its front page,

 

" A new curriculum for medicine, integrating modern and traditional practices, is

being prepared and will be implemented within two years, Union health and family

welfare minister Anbumani Ramadoss said here on Tuesday.

 

" Today's curriculum is outdated. We are working towards integration of modern

and traditional practices in the new curriculum. It is expected to come out

within two years, " Ramadoss said.

 

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While the move will force a rethink among the rationalists and hardcore

" scientists " as to the efficacy and need for " unscientific " methods like

homeopathy and ayurveda, both the modern and traditional experts on medicine

have responded cautiously. While the Principal of a renowned modern medical

college wondered on television " which parts " of homeopathy and ayurveda would be

included in the curriculum, an ayurvedic medical expert voiced his concern about

clubbing reductionist and holistic methods together.

 

Despite the enthusiasm and good intention of the Honourable Union Minister, it

remains a fact that integrated medicine has been tried in India and has failed.

Mainstream hospitals have introduced prayers and modern doctors have used both

ayurvedic and homeopathic formulations but without any significant improvement

in their patients health. What is usually overlooked is that holistic remedies

have to be practiced along with and as per the holistic principles in order to

be effective. This effort to teach integrated medicine may confuse the students

as there is a gargantuan difference between the approaches of ayurveda,

homeopathy and allopathy.

 

However if the allopathic colleges are taught about other approaches then they

will understand disease in a better perspective and also learn about the

dynamics of disease. I think this is what Dr Ramadoss has in mind while he

stresses about the need for an integrated approach. Till now the mainstream

medical community in India, accustomed only to the reductionist method, have

been wary of holistic approaches preferring to refer to the holistic

practitioners as " quacks " and seeking to " educate " them so that they grow out of

their " faulty " beliefs. At least this early introduction to holism will spare

the alternative health industry more " Lancet reports " and will inculcate a

healthy relationship among the various approaches. It will be even better if the

holistic approaches are introduced early into the school curriculum so that the

general population can be better educated and hence decide which approach to

adopt when they feel dis-ease.

 

Dr Ramadoss has also dealt a severe blow to the pharmaceutical industry in India

by lowering the prices of 15 major drugs. The CEO of a drug major was quick to

point out on television that this would effect the research activities. However

another panelist was of the opinion that this excuse was a red herring. The TV

anchor too reminded the CEO that the drug industry should also do its bit for

the common man. The CEO astounded all by declaring that this move may force many

drug companies from manufacturing essential drugs in India.

 

The transition obviously will not be easy.

 

Regards,

Jagannath.