The use of Ayush products were restricted by health ministry citing unavailability of authentic reporting of it’s safety and efficacy for covid-19 treatment earlier during lockdown. Now the Supreme Court on Tuesday granted permit that certified AYUSH specialists can recommend government-recognised tablets or combinations as immunity boosters for Covid-19 patients.
A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan Subash Reddy and MR Shah, notwithstanding, said the doctors or health specialists can only prescribe as a boost for improving immunity and strength but not advertise them as treatment agents for novel coronavirus. The apex court rejected to modify the August 21 petition raised by kerala High court.
As per the High Court order, AYUSH doctors are disallowed from doing any propaganda or prescribing medicines as COVID-19 cure. However they can recommend those included in the ministry’s advisory in concordance with March 6, 2020 order.
The Kerala High Court order had asked the state government to use alternative medicine only as an immunity booster. It had urged that alternative medicine that includes homoeopathy, Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and naturopathy can be preferred to augment immunity to recoup from the infection.
Ayush systems are holistic methods of treatment, which when used accurately can relieve large population from illness.