Ayurveda practitioner's defamation notice to IMA over placebo remarks

NEW DELHI: An Ayurvedic physician and teacher of Indian medicine has served a legal notice upon the Indian Medical Association (IMA) for its allegedly derogatory remarks against AYUSH remedies for the COVID-19 management and equating Ayurveda drugs to placebo.

The notice on behalf of Vaidya Prashant Tiwari cites a 'National Clinical Management Protocol' (Protocol) issued by the Union Health Ministry based on AYUSH and Yoga for management of COVID-19. The notice, which has been sent through advocate Archana Pathak Dave, accuses IMA for making comments without studying the reports qua the scientific rational and the clinical studies made available in the public domain.

The notice said the IMA allegedly made statements to malign the reputation of the Indian medicine with the intention to create a disbelief against the AYUSH method of treatment and their practitioners, which caused grave reputational and financial loss.

Tiwari said the Ministry of AYUSH in this protocol, enumerated in detail the general and physical measures, dietary measures and clinical measures for prevention and treatment of asymptomatic and mild COVID patients.

"It is quite evident from your conduct that your action of making uninformed defamatory allegations against AYUSH system of Medicine was an intentional and deliberate attempt to cause loss of goodwill and reputation to the AYUSH Institutions and the practitioners thereof," said the notice, charging the IMA with maligning the effectiveness of the Indian medicine, without studying the research done prior to launching the protocol.

The notice emphasized the protocol was issued after an extensive research by numerous practitioners and the researchers of the AYUSH medicine and the All India Institute of Ayurveda, using these protocols, have treated several COVID-19 patients.

Taking exception to the IMA's statement for equating AYUSH medicine as placebo, the notice said it has gone on to accuse the health minister for inflicting fraud upon the public by issuing this protocol for prevention and cure of COVID-19.

The notice has cited the media interaction and press statements by the president and secretary-general of the IMA, where it made irresponsible, defamatory, false and misleading statement, with the intention to cause disbelief against the Indian medicine system in the minds of the public.

Emphasizing these allegations has harmed the reputation of AYUSH medicine, Tiwari asked the IMA to publish an unconditional apology to AYUSH practitioners and withdraw its press release questioning the government's protocol. The notice warns that the IMA will face legal action if these conditions are not satisfied. (IANS)

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