|
The ministry of health and family welfare is contemplating establishing a proper regulatory mechanism for acupuncture, in line with the recommendations of a committee that the therapy can be accepted as an independent system of healthcare in the country.
The Central government has also completed a comprehensive consultation involving various departments in this regard, said J P Nadda, minister of health and family welfare in the Rajya Sabha recently. He said that based on the recommendations of a Standing Committee of Experts, the practice of acupuncture was qualified as a 'mode of therapy'.
Thereafter, an Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC), constituted by the Department of Health Research, had recommended in 2018 that acupuncture can be accepted as an independent system of healthcare for the indications for which there is evidence and expertise exists for teaching, training and certification.
After consideration of the IDC report, ‘Apex Committee on Acupuncture’ (ACA) was constituted for the purpose of promotion and regulation of acupuncture as a system of healthcare/therapy.
The recommendations and the guidelines of the ACA include proposed course curricula for certificate, degree and diploma courses in acupuncture; proposed template for rules and regulations for regulating the system, and suggestions for reimbursement for acupuncture treatment.
The Committee has further recommended that in order to implement the guidelines, the Government of India may take appropriate decisions about establishing an appropriate regulatory mechanism so as to ensure a conducive environment and system for promotion and regulation of practice of acupuncture as a system of healthcare and therapy in the country.
"The recommendations of the Apex Committee on Acupuncture for establishing an appropriate regulatory mechanism are under active consideration of the government. In this regard, a comprehensive consultation, involving multiple departments, including the Ministry of Ayush, has been completed," said the Minister.
Acupressure and acupuncture has been taught in nature cure colleges as a part of Bachelor in Naturopathy & Yogic Sciences (BNYS) degree syllabus and these colleges are affiliated or recognized by the respective health universities.
With the therapy remaining unregulated, there have been complaints from various stakeholders that illegal acupuncture centres and courses are impacting the lives of innocent people. Following such a complaint, the Madras High Court has last year directed the state government to ensure that it is practiced as a mode of therapy by registered medical practitioners of modern medicine and Indian Systems of Medicines and not as an independent system of medicine.
|