Ayurvedic practitioners seeking modern medical powers threaten public health

Source: The post Ayurvedic practitioners seeking modern medical powers threaten public health has been created, based on the article “The medical boundaries for AYUSH practitioners” published in “The Hindu” on 29th July 2025

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health,

For detailed information on Integrating modern and AYUSH System of Medicine read this article here

Context: A social media debate between a hepatologist and a chess Grand Master reignited discussions on whether traditional medicine practitioners like Ayurvedic doctors should be called “doctors.” The core issue lies not in the title but in the legal scope of their medical practice and its consequences for public health.

Evolution of the Legal Framework

1. Early Committees and Differing Views: The 1946 Bhore Committee supported modern evidence-based medicine and recommended limiting traditional medicine. In contrast, the 1948 Committee on Indigenous Systems used Hindu nationalist rhetoric to defend Ayurveda, claiming its decline was due to foreign domination.
2. Governmental Recognition and Laws: While the Nehru era ignored formal recognition, the 1970 Indira Gandhi government enacted the Indian Medicine Central Council Act. It recognized Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani. This was replaced in 2020 by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act.
3. Ayurvedic Curriculum Contradictions: The Ayurveda syllabus includes both metaphysical concepts like doshas and atmas and scientific ideas like anatomy and cell physiology. These frameworks clash fundamentally—making integrative medicine unfeasible due to irreconcilable foundations.

Prescription Rights and Rule 2(ee)

1. Legal Ambiguity and State Orders: Rule 2(ee) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules empowers states to allow non-MBBS practitioners to prescribe modern medicine. Many states have used this to authorize Ayurvedic and Unani doctors to prescribe antibiotics and other drugs.
2. Supreme Court Verdict of 1998: In Dr. Mukhtiar Chand vs State of Punjab, the Supreme Court ruled that prescribing allopathic drugs is inseparable from practicing modern medicine—effectively barring Ayurvedic practitioners from doing so.
3. Continued Defiance by States: Despite the judgment, states continue issuing orders allowing traditional practitioners to prescribe modern medicines, often challenged in courts by the Indian Medical Association. Consumer courts have also seen cases from patients misled about their doctors’ qualifications.

Expanding Practice to Surgeries and Procedures

1. Question of Legally Permitted Procedures: There is growing concern over Ayurvedic practitioners being hired in hospitals for modern procedures due to cost-cutting. Whether they can perform critical interventions like intubation remains legally unresolved.
2. 2020 Notification on Surgeries: A government notification permits post-graduate Ayurvedic doctors to perform 58 surgeries, including gallbladder and appendix removal. Its constitutionality is under court review.
3. Implications for Use of Modern Drugs: If the notification stands, it raises the issue of whether Ayurvedic practitioners can legally use anaesthetics and antibiotics, which are necessary for such surgeries—posing significant risks to public health.

Politics, Identity, and Policy

1. Hindu Pride and Pseudoscience: The debate is politically charged, with both BJP and Congress embracing Hindu pride narratives to justify unscientific claims about ancient Indian medical prowess, such as “test-tube” Kauravas and flying machines.
2. Policy Shifts under Populist Pressure: The 2024 Congress manifesto promised support for all medical systems. This bipartisan populism dilutes the focus on evidence-based healthcare and enables the blending of pseudoscience into official policy.
3. Fiscal Costs and Public Risk: The government’s move to include AYUSH treatments under Ayushman Bharat, combined with ₹20,000 crore spent on AYUSH research with negligible scientific results, reflects poor accountability. Public health risks are rising while taxpayers bear the financial burden.

Question for practice:

Examine the legal, educational, and political challenges associated with allowing Ayurvedic practitioners to prescribe and perform modern medical treatments in India.