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In perhaps what is one of the biggest media related announcements this week, the Press Council of India (PCI) has issued an advisory to all media houses regarding giving publicity to Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy etc ‘information’ that claims to treat Coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
The advisory stated that the print media should stop, “publicity and advertisement of AYUSH-related claims for COVID-19 treatment.” This advisory, according to PCI, had been issued , “in order to prevent dissemination of misleading information about AYUSH drugs and services in view of the emerging threat in the country due to the COVID-19 outbreak.”
This is an important guideline from the PCI that was first constituted on July 4, 1966 as an autonomous, statutory, quasi-judicial body. Its functions and objectives are listed under the The Press Council Act, 1965.
According to media reports the advisory comes in the wake of concerns raised by many healthcare professionals about the claims that Coronavirus spread can be contained, or Covid-19 cured by using ayurvedic or homeopathic medicine, or other such ‘cures’ that that have been shared on social media ever since the pandemic spread. Many such claims have come as ‘news’.
Some of these claims had come from the very top. According to a PTI report, later reproduced in publications such as The Week, Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik said that an ayurvedic practitioner from Bengaluru claimed to have cured Prince Charles of Britain of coronavirus. “There is an ayurveda practitioner who runs an ayurvedic resort named ‘Saukhya’ in Bangalore who called me to tell that coronavirus infection of Prince Charles was treated by his formula. It is a mix of ayurveda and homeopathy,” Naik has reportedly said adding, “it shows how ayurvedic and homeopathic drugs can help treat coronavirus.”
This claim was quickly refuted by Prince Charle’s office. “This information is incorrect. The Prince of Wales followed the medical advice of the NHS in the UK and nothing more,” a Clarence House spokesperson had said and this too was widely reported.
As posted on its own website the Ministry of AYUSH has stated that it has been “receiving numerous suggestions from practitioners and institutions in the AYUSH Sector regarding possible solutions from AYUSH disciplines to restrain the spread of the Covid -19 pandemic.”
To accommodate all these suggestions the ministry set up a registration system for AYUSH practitioners and institutions. All they have to do is register their details and submit their suggestions.
Even the PIB website has information on “Homeopathy for Prevention of Coronavirus Infections,” and lists of “Unani Medicines useful in symptomatic management of CoronaVirus infection”, these posts have been live since January 29.
“The outbreak of a mysterious new CoronaVirus is rapidly spreading. The whole world is going through the fear of this Corona Virus, the Research Councils under the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India have issued advisory based on the Indian traditional medicine practices Ayurveda, Homeopathy and Unani,” read one such post.
A press release issued on March 7 may be read here, and a screen-shot of an excerpt may be viewed here:
Apart from repeating the measures for prevention of air-borne infections as suggested by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Ayush Ministry also had information that claimed a certain homeopathic drug “could be taken as prophylactic medicine against Coronavirus infections”, and also gave out the dosage.
It was also reported that Prime Minister had Narendra Modi held video conferences with the Ayush ministry officials, urged AYUSH practitioners to help combat coronavirus According to a report in the Deccan Herald the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had suggested that “AYUSH medicine producers could utilise their resources to produce essential items such as sanitisers, keeping in mind the high demand for such items following the coronavirus outbreak.”
The PM had also shared ayurvedic tips given by the Ayush ministry on how to boost immunity. “I urge you to have a look at the Ayush ministry protocol, make it a part of your life and share it with others,” he had posted.
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The Press Council of India’s advisory comes at a crucial juncture in the fight against the pandemic. Scientific journals across the world have already dismissed claims of homeopathy etc curing or preventing Covid-19.
The Scientist quotes Irish science writer David Robert Grimes as saying, “It is profoundly irresponsible of the Ministry of AYUSH to endorse homeopathy as this entirely undermines public understanding of science and medicine, and elevates pseudoscience with potentially dangerous consequences.”
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