Integrated system of Medicine

Integrated system of Medicine

News: Recently, the Indian Council of Medical Research and GoI’s AYUSH ministry signed an MoU to promote and collaborate on integrative health research.

What is Integrated system of medicine?
 An integrated system of medicine combines different healthcare practices to provide the most effective treatment for the patient. It blends “Western” medicine, with alternative or traditional practices such as Ayurveda, acupuncture, yoga, or naturopathy.
 The aim of an integrated system is to treat the whole person – mind, body, and spirit, rather than just focusing on a single disease or symptom. This can result in more personalized, comprehensive care.

Advantages of Integrated system of Medicine:
 It focuses on holistic approach to patient care – It considers physical, mental and emotional well-being of a person.
 Traditional therapies can often be more cost-effective than modern ones. For example, Yoga can provide more solution with fewer resources.
 Traditional practices like Ayurveda and yoga can be used as adjunctive therapies in conjunction with modern medicine, potentially enhancing treatment outcomes.
 Fewer or no-side effects compared to modern medicine. For example, Meditation and Yoga can help overcome mental issues rather than relying on medications alone.
 The Integrated System of Medicine supports the ‘One Health’ approach, which enables coordinated action across human, animal, and agricultural sectors for judicious antibiotic use.
 Integrating traditional and modern medicines may provide more comprehensive care, potentially leading to improved patient satisfaction.

What are Government’s initiative in this direction?
 Creation of Ministry of AYUSH was the first and foremost initiative towards promoting traditional and alternative system of medicine.
 Recent partnership of ICMR and AYUSH ministry to conduct quality human clinical trials is a step to look at potential evidence of combining Ayurveda with modern medicine.
 The AIIMS has been conducting clinical trials for years to assess the impact of Yoga and other traditional practices on various health conditions.

Way Forward
 Such collaborations should be encouraged as they provide for scientific validation of traditional therapies.
 Medical practitioners can be educated and trained in both traditional and modern systems of medicine to allow for the effective delivery of integrated care.