NEW DELHI: The government responded to criticism from the Indian Medical Association of the Ayush protocol of the Center for the management of Covid-19, saying that the advice relied on Ayurveda and yoga after considering “empirical evidence and biological plausibility” as well as Emerging trends from ongoing clinical trials.
The health ministry said the protocol was recommended in addition to the government-issued standard treatment protocol for Covid-19 and that Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had not suggested that clinical approaches to the disease be ignored.
The comment came as IMA questioned Vardhan’s decision to promote alternative medicines and yoga for the management of Covid-19. Earlier this week, he launched the Ayush protocol that promotes the use of ashwagandha, guduchi, pippali, Ayush 64 tablets in different doses and yoga to prevent disease progression between asymptomatic to symptomatic and severe forms and to improve the rate of recovery. .
“The protocol emphasizes that the recommended formulations are in addition to standard approaches to care and prevention. This does not replace the allopathic treatment protocol recommended by the Ministry of Health,” said a senior official.
However, the IMA asked Vardhan in a statement whether the proponents of this claim and his ministry were prepared to volunteer for a prospective and independent double-blind control study for the prevention and treatment of Covid-19.
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