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- 22/07/2025
Should We Really Be Mixing Ayurveda with MBBS?
Should We Really Be Mixing Ayurveda with MBBS? A Doctor’s Take on the IMA’s Red Flag
Recently, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) issued a sharp response to the Centre’s move to introduce an integrated MBBS and Ayurveda course at JIPMER, Puducherry.
As someone rooted in evidence-based medicine, I believe this deserves serious reflection — not just as doctors, but as a society that values progress in public health.
The IMA called this proposal “unscientific” and warned it may cause irreversible damage to the medical ecosystem. And I agree — here’s why:
- The life expectancy in India has more than doubled since independence — from 32 years in 1947 to 70.8 years today.
- Diseases like smallpox and neonatal tetanus have been eradicated.
- We’ve made tremendous strides with vaccines, antibiotics, and modern surgical techniques.
These aren’t just statistics. They represent decades of rigorous, peer-reviewed science, not ancient texts or anecdotal remedies.
Of course, Ayurveda has cultural significance and historical value. But forcing an artificial union between two fundamentally different systems — without shared diagnostic frameworks, treatment protocols, or clinical trial standards — is like mixing oil and water.
The Chinese experiment with blending traditional and modern medicine is a cautionary tale. Not only did it fail to elevate healthcare standards, it also diluted the credibility of traditional medicine itself.
With the doctor-patient ratio already stretched, and healthcare delivery systems under pressure, introducing “mixopathy” could risk patient safety and undermine trust in both streams.
- Let’s promote Ayurveda — but on its own terms, through structured research, validation, and education.
- Let’s strengthen modern medicine — not confuse it with systems that don’t follow the same scientific rigor.
As the IMA rightly said, patients deserve the right to choose their system of care, not be subjected to one that blurs the lines in the name of integration.
The future of Indian healthcare doesn’t lie in dilution — it lies in collaboration, validation, and integrity.
What do you think? Should Ayurveda and Allopathy remain distinct, or can they ever be integrated meaningfully — and safely?
#EvidenceBasedMedicine #MedicalEthics #AyurvedaVsAllopathy #PublicHealthIndia #IMANews #MedicalEducation #DoctorVoices #HealthcarePolicy #DrSourabhDamani #LinkedInDoctors
