Thread by @ProfSomashekhar

The budget director Ayush in 2021 is roughly 2300 crore rupees as compared to Health Research which is 1900 crore (2020). How has that worked out in pandemic times. Why am I doing this thread on Ayush and COVID19?
Last year when the pandemic began govt distributed 1/n

The GUJ govt distributed preventive Ayush meds across #Covid19 hospitals and healthcare workers as well as contacts were encouraged to utilize it. Mild cases also got it and the Principal Secretary Health actively promoted it as @narendramodi had endorsed it. 2/n

Initially it was fun for me as I saw colleagues take it and the sceptic in me could not be more sarcastic. As we hit the first wave and people began dying I almost forgot about this till April 2021 when my kids tested positive. I was shaken when the local PHC 🚐 pulled 🆙 3/n

PHC docs (Ayush ones) came calling home & asked me and my wife whether we wanted to take preventive Ayush meds. I showed them away but soon read about Vans in ahmedabad that were distributing this stuff. So it wasn’t over yet for Ayush. We can see IAS officers promoting it. 4/n

These are all being promoted as #immunityboosters across India. Sample pics are from Gujarat but am sure this is everywhere. Many if these are older pictures and have their basis in posts by Ayush ministry.
I made a thread on non evidence based allopathic medicine. 5/n

While much has been published about allopathic drugs in the last 1.5 years apart from Coronil much as not been done about Ayush drugs. However active encouragement is being given to adopt Ayush guidelines. I am personally supportive of Ayurveda but this is nonsense 6/n

There is much benefit in following a disciplined lifestyle but one cannot extrapolate it and say that it will give you immunity.
There are a host of guidelines on AYUSH on their website.
None of these are based on evidence nor do they use the rigor of EBM. 7/n

Tagging onto the popularity of @narendramodi Ayush is pushing its agenda to boost immunity. Immunologists like @abledoc will tell you that random boosting immunity is a concept which is of no value and is disputed. We have a specific immunity booster - which is the vaccine 8/n

If you look at the website there are different guidelines for all the 4 systems> Thankfully homeo has just 2-3 pages while siddha and ayurveda have many. Selling the concept of immunity booster has many downsides. There maybe overconfidence and also dent vaccine confidence 9/n

I lost 70 y old relative due to his confidence in Ayurved (he did not get vaccinated). Apart from this the precious man hours that can used to support faster vaccination goes towards selling (even if free) stuff that may even be harmful. Follow @drabbyphilips to know details 10/n

The misuse of human resources is weakening our fight against #COVID19India They can be more useful to improve vaccine confidence as #VaccinesSaveLives I got into a spat with a Ayur doc due to his insistence on steam and gargles. Ayurved has benefits - meditation, etc 11/n

But pushing for its use without evidence is causing lives to be lost. I would love to see papers of these AYUSH meds which show some effects in humans - but we have lost a opportunity for the same. I did consider doing a trial using Coronil but gave up soon. 12/n

Stuff like cold sponging (when actually lukewarm water is the correct one) is outright wrong but promoted. Siddha has antivirals listed! (with a disclaimer). Some have varmam points for boosting immunity. Speciifc management is given like choornam, etc. 13/n

Considerable time, effort and money goes into making these useless guidelines and then asking the state governemnts and Babus to push for its usage. Camohr, Belladona, etc are part of this. Apart from antivirals in Siddha, Unani also has antivirals. 14/n

If you peruse the guidelines on the website they are quite detailed but i have not come across one serious patient who has utilized any of these exclusively and improved. Know of many who succumbed due to their ill-placed faith in these. Is this ethical @AnantBhan 15/n

Why does not the community which promotes ethics in medicine talk about this and place the spotlight on its non-evidenced nature? Is it because @sanjaynagral @AnantBhan belong to allopathic medicine and should not critique these. Why aren't these questioned? 16/n

Maybe not as a doctor but as a citizen we should be asking why should govt spend money and promote this? Putting a disclaimer that "Not tested in COvid19" should not be allowed. It is tax money and not industry money.
Mush of this money can go in testing, etc. 17/n

I wonder the number of lives lost due to this immunity boosting industry across India. Both due to their effects on liver and kidney as well as due to sense of false security. The amount of time, money and resources spent here can be well utilized elsewhere. 18/n

I believe Ayurveda has much to offer but this ham handed approach to its promotion in areas where it may not be of use is damaging its credibility. India is in middle of another pandemic of NCD. I think Ayurveda has a significant role there and it should be actively pursued 19/n

I do hope that there is an audit of AYUSH and its role in the pandemic and something good comes of it. Focusing on the right areas may yet save Ayurveda and it can be something India can be proud off. Homeopathy is not Indian and should be junked. 20/n End