Reaffirming Traditional Medicine’s Significance
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO), highlighted the pivotal role of traditional medicine in advancing global healthcare during her address at the Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit.
Agile Research: Tailoring to Diverse Needs
In her speech, Dr. Swaminathan stressed the importance of research agility in the traditional medicine sector. She emphasized the need for adaptable research approaches that cater to the varying healthcare necessities of different populations.
Collaborative Trials: A Path to Progress
Drawing from her experience as the former Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research, Dr. Swaminathan shared insights on collaborative clinical trials. She highlighted the fruitful collaboration with the Ayush Ministry for dengue treatment trials as an exemplary model.
Pillars of Innovation for Public Health
Dr. Swaminathan outlined five foundational pillars essential for advancing public health initiatives through traditional medicine: building robust resources, leveraging data, fostering collaborations, establishing well-defined methodologies, and creating policies that support innovation and entrepreneurship.
Unveiling Creative Trial Designs
In her discourse, Dr. Swaminathan urged for innovative trial designs in research studies. She illustrated her point with the success story of acupuncture—a traditional medicine technique that gained credibility through dedicated research efforts.
Harmonizing Traditional and Modern Approaches
Dr. Bhushan Patwardhan, the head of Ayush, echoed the sentiment of marrying traditional medicines with modern science for enhanced healthcare outcomes. He highlighted the need for collaboration between WHO and the Indian government to achieve this synergy.
Global Consortium for Innovation and Equity
Dr. Patwardhan proposed the establishment of a global consortium, uniting countries in the pursuit of evidence-based integrated medicine. He emphasized that such collaboration is pivotal for swift progress and equitable healthcare access.
