Doctor or Not? The Ayurvedic Medicine Debate Unpacked
Who Gets to Call Themselves a Doctor? The Curious Case of Ayurveda, Antibiotics & Ancient Pride
đ¨ The Viral X-Fight: A Doctor vs. A Grandmaster
A few weeks ago, a Twitter (oops, we mean X) spat between a hepatologist and a chess Grandmaster took the internet by storm. It wasnât about chess or livers. It was about Ayurveda.
The debate?
âCan practitioners of Ayurveda or other traditional Indian medicine systems call themselves âdoctorsâ?â
What looked like a simple question turned into a heated national discussionâone that sits at the intersection of medicine, law, politics, culture, and even Hindu pride.
Letâs break it down.
𩺠Is Ayurveda Medicine or Myth?
India has a rich medical heritage. Systems like Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and others have been practiced for centuries. These systems are based on concepts like doshas, prakriti, vata-pitta-kapha, and the balance of spiritual energy. Think of it like a traditional blend of philosophy, wellness, and herbs.
On the other hand, modern medicine (aka "allopathy") relies on germ theory, evidence-based studies, and randomized control trials.
Imagine this:
In one classroom, youâre studying cell physiology and antibiotics. In the next, youâre learning about paramatma and jivatma.
Now, can a student trained in both prescribe the same medicine? Should they be allowed to perform surgeries? This is where the confusionâand the conflictâbegins.
đ A History of Conflicting Committees
This debate didnât start on X. It started way back in 1946.
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Bhore Committee (1946): Recommended that India adopt modern scientific medicine, like other countries were doing. Traditional systems? It suggested limiting their role in public healthcare.
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Indigenous Systems of Medicine Committee (1948): Pushed back, saying Ayurveda is part of Indian culture, linked it to the Vedas, and blamed its decline on âforeign rule.â This marked the entry of communal overtones into a scientific debate.
Fast forward to 1970, the Indira Gandhi government passed a law formally recognizing Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani practitioners.
In 2020, this law was replaced with a new one: The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act, giving these systems their own central regulatory bodies.
đ When Ayurvedic Doctors Want to Prescribe Modern Drugs
Hereâs the real flashpoint: Ayurvedic practitioners want to prescribe modern medicineâyes, even antibiotics, which are born out of evidence-based science.
So, can they?
According to Indian law, only registered medical practitioners (RMPs) can prescribe modern drugs. But the definition of âRMPâ under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 was vague enough for many states to interpret it liberally.
Result?
Some states passed orders allowing Ayurvedic and Unani doctors to prescribe modern drugs.
But waitâŚ
âď¸ The Supreme Court Steps In
In 1998, the Supreme Court clarified in Dr. Mukhtiar Chand v. State of Punjab:
âYou canât prescribe drugs of a system of medicine unless you are trained in that system.â
In other words, Ayurvedic doctors cannot legally prescribe allopathic medicine.
But did it stop there? Nope.
States continued passing such orders. The Indian Medical Association kept challenging them. Consumer courts began hearing cases where patients felt cheated, thinking they were treated by an MBBS doctor when they were not.
đĽ From Prescriptions to Surgeries: Whereâs the Line?
Hereâs where it gets serious.
In 2020, the government passed a notification allowing postgraduate Ayurvedic practitioners to perform 58 types of surgeriesâincluding removal of gallbladder, appendix, and benign tumors.
Sounds like a plot twist, right?
Now imagine this: A patient enters a hospital thinking a trained surgeon is about to operate. But the person holding the scalpel is a BAMS graduateâsomeone trained in doshas and traditional texts, not surgical procedures as per modern medical curricula.
And hereâs the scary part:
Some hospitals even hire Ayurvedic practitioners instead of MBBS doctors to cut costs.
The legality of that 2020 notification is still being fought in court.
đ° The Money Behind the Medicine
Letâs talk numbers.
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The government spends around âš20,000 crore of taxpayersâ money on AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy) research institutions.
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Now, thereâs talk of including AYUSH treatments under Ayushman Bharat, Indiaâs national health insurance scheme.
Translation: Your tax money may soon be paying for treatments that lack robust scientific evidence.
The sad part? These research councils have produced very little meaningful scientific output despite the generous funding.
đ§ A Tale of Two Realities
Letâs imagine two patients:
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Rekha, 45, has chronic digestive issues. She visits an Ayurvedic doctor who suggests a herbal concoction. She feels better, credits Ayurveda, and tells all her WhatsApp groups about it.
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Vikram, 50, has a heart attack. In the emergency room, heâs intubated, given blood thinners, and stabilized by a modern medicine team. He survives because of decades of rigorous medical research.
Both stories are valid in their own way. But should we treat both systems as equal?
Should we merge two completely different epistemologiesâone based on scripture, another on science?
đŽđł The Politics of Pride
The conversation isnât just medical or legalâitâs also political.
With the rise of Hindu nationalism, Ayurveda is no longer just a healing systemâitâs become a symbol of cultural pride. Suddenly, Pushpaka Vimana and Kauravas as test-tube babies are not just mythology but examples of ancient Indian science (as claimed by some politicians).
In this climate, even parties like the Congress, which earlier championed modernity, now pledge to support all systems of medicine in their election manifestos. Why? Because opposing Ayurveda might be seen as opposing Indian culture.
𧪠Science or Sentiment? A Nation Must Choose Wisely
This is not a fight about who gets to wear a stethoscope or hang a "Dr." board. Itâs about public health, medical ethics, and the future of healthcare in India.
We must ask:
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Can tradition replace science?
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Should belief override data?
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Should emotional pride dictate health policy?
Because the joke, dear reader, is ultimately on usâthe taxpayers, the patients, the citizens.
đ Final Thoughts: Whatâs the Cure?
India doesnât need to discard traditional knowledge. In fact, scientifically researching Ayurveda could be immensely useful. But mixing it with modern medicine without clear boundaries is not integrationâitâs confusion.
As a country, we must ensure that policy is based on reason, not rhetoric. We need to protect peopleâs right to both wellness and truth.
And sometimes, the bitterest pill to swallow is the one called evidence.
Have thoughts? Been treated by a traditional practitioner? Share your story below! Letâs keep this discussion real, respectful, and rational.
posted by Prasanth Kumar @ July 28, 2025
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