Indian Medical Association (IMA) has sought clarification from Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan for issuing protocol of COVID-19 prevention and treatment of asymptomatic as well as mild cases based on AYUSH and yoga.
The association has asked the union minister if there were satisfactory evidence regarding the claims that are based on studies done on coronavirus positive patients. If so, the largest body of private practitioners also wanted an explanation that whether the evidence was weak or moderate or strong.
“He (Harsh Vardhan) has arranged impressive names of institutions to support his prescription. He admits that these are based on empirical evidence which means that the evidence is anecdotal and based on individual subjective experiences. He himself relegates AYUSH as history rather than current by saying Ayurveda has contributed to the foundation of modern medicine,” the statement issued by the IMA reads.
Other questions posed by the IMA are
– Whether the severe form of COVID-19 a hyperimmune status or an immune deficiency status?
– Whether the proponents of this claim and his Ministry are prepared to subject themselves as volunteers to an independent prospective Double-Blind Control Study in the prevention and treatment of COVID?
– How many of his ministerial colleagues have so far made the informed choice of getting treated under these protocols?
– What is stopping him from handing over COVID care and control to AYUSH ministry?
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The association also said that by failing to answer their questions Dr Harsh Vardhan will be inflicting a fraud on the nation and gullible patients by calling placebos as drugs.
Earlier on Tuesday, Dr Harsh Vardhan released the National Clinical Management Protocol that is based on Ayurveda and Yoga for the management of the coronavirus.
During the launch, Vardhan said that the research the protocol was prepared by the experts and other national research organizations. He said the National Clinical Management Protocol is based on Ayurveda and Yoga.
National Clinical Management Protocol
The National Clinical Management Protocol ends the ambiguity around using Ayurveda and Yoga-based solutions to clinical treatment of the coronavirus. Other versions of the protocol will be released soon and it will cover other disciplines of Ayush.
This protocol has clear guidelines about the treatment of coronavirus positive persons. This will ensure uniformity and consistency in the responses to the pandemic based on Ayush across the country.
