To elevate traditional medicine research to global standards, the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Shri Krishna Ayush University, Kurukshetra, and Dabur, a leading Ayurvedic company in India. Additionally, CCRAS has launched its newly updated website, marking a significant step in modernizing its digital presence.
The announcements were made during the National Consultative Meet on "Research Priority Settings in Traditional Medicine" held on June 24, 2024, at the India Habitat Center, New Delhi. This event was organized in collaboration with the World Health Organisation – South East Asia Region office (WHO-SEARO) and the World Health Organisation – Global Traditional Medicine Centre (WHO-GTMC). The meet aimed to identify and prioritize key research areas across various traditional medicine systems, including Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Homeopathy.
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush, highlighted the event's significance, stating, "The objective is to ensure effective utilization of funds and address critical areas of need within traditional medicine. This includes medicinal plant research, quality, safety, and efficacy studies, pre-clinical validations, rational use of traditional medicines, clinical trial monitoring, medical anthropology, and the digitalization of ancient medical literature, thereby supporting its global acceptance and integration."
Prof. (Vaidya) Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General of CCRAS, emphasized the long-term vision, "We aim to chart a research roadmap for the next decade and align our efforts with WHO guidelines. These MoUs with Dabur and Shri Krishna Ayush University are a healthy start in this direction."
Prof. (Vd.) Kartar Singh Dhiman, Vice Chancellor of Shri Krishna Ayush University, underscored the importance of the MoU, stating that it would foster academic and research collaborations, providing opportunities for researchers and scientists to exchange ideas through workshops, seminars, and PhD studies.
Dr. Baidyanath Mishra, Head of R&D Healthcare Research at Dabur Research and Development Centre, elaborated on the collaboration's potential, "Under the MoU, we will undertake pharmaceutical R&D for novel dosage forms and drug development, capacity building, knowledge sharing, and training in the field of Ayurveda."
The event saw the participation of around 150 stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Ayush, NITI Aayog, heads of research councils from various traditional medicine streams, vice-chancellors of reputed universities, directors of national institutes under the Ministry of Ayush, ICMR-NITM, CSIR, RIS-FITM, JNU, WHO-SEARO, WHO-GTMC, policymakers, pharmacy representatives, and media persons.
Dr. G P Prasad, Assistant Director (In-charge) of the National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage (NIIMH) and a co-organizer of the event, pointed out that setting research priorities is crucial for preserving and documenting traditional knowledge, protecting cultural heritage, and conserving biodiversity associated with medicinal plants and indigenous healing practices.
The roundtable discussions among expert working groups shaped the prioritization exercise, followed by a plenary session that outlined the way forward. The identified research areas will guide the allocation of resources, shape scientific agendas, and influence the direction of innovation and discovery in traditional medicine, addressing the increasing global demand and acceptance of these systems.
