Author: Our Staff Reporter
Publication: The Hindu
Date: October 27, 2003
URL: http://www.hindu.com/2003/10/27/stories/2003102707090400.htm
Knowledge of traditional Indian
medicine should be integrated with modern medicine and science, so it could
be exploited by adding value and creating new products for a wider market,
R.A. Mashelkar, Director-General, Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research, said today.
While the use of traditional medicine
in primary healthcare in countries such as India, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania
and Uganda was about 60 to 70 percent, developed countries such as the
United States, Australia, Canada, France and Belgium were moving towards
alternative medicines, he said.``The world is going digital, herbal and
spiritual.''
To capitalise on this, India should
bridge the gap between traditional medicine, modern medicine and modern
science. The country was rich in biodiversity and traditional knowledge,
had high indigenous science and technology capacity, and could thus become
providers even to advanced nations if its enormous informal knowledge systems
were tapped, he said.
``If we create a connectivity between
these systems, we can make a difference.''
Dr. Mashelkar, however, noted that
while other countries were investigating into or adapting from Indian systems,
there was little effort in this country to study them scientifically. He
drew attention to scientific papers by foreign authors on receptors for
rabies and other cutting-edge research, which were already hinted at in
ancient Indian texts. He also pointed to recent scientific forays in Western
countries on the medicinal and therapeutic effects of yoga and meditation,
and the lack of such efforts in India, where the systems originated.
Dr. Mashelkar elaborated on the
CSIR role in using modern science and medicine to study, patent and add
value to Indian medicine.
Recently, the council launched a
traditional knowledge digital library, an exhaustive database of medicinal
plants and other native practices. Compelling international patent offices
to include the database in their minimum search document lists would rule
out the possibility of foreign claims to traditional Indian knowledge.
Dr. Mashelkar was delivering the
Madras Diabetes Research Foundation's Third Dr. K.Anji Reddy Gold Medal
Oration on `Building a golden triangle between traditional medicine, modern
medicine and modern science.'
He later told mediapersons that
the final report of the Mashelkar Committee on drugs, which would deal
with patenting, creating a new central drug administration, neutrachemicals,
ayurvedic cosmetics and related aspects, would be released early November.
N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief, The Hindu,
presented the Dr.K.Anji Reddy Gold Medal Oration Award to Dr.Mashelkar.
Mr. Ram said the country had lots
of talent, capability and resources but there were many gaps and problems
in the pursuit of excellence. He also drew attention to ``attempts to push
branches like astrology into the science curriculum'' and the modification
of the curriculum without consulting scientists. ``These are revivalist
attempts in the name of traditional science. India does not need this,''
he said.
K.Anji Reddy, Chairman, Dr. Reddy's
Laboratories and Dr. Reddy's Research Foundation, said Indian drug companies
were not only growing in the world market, but were also venturing into
drug discovery. ``It is now possible for Indian companies to discover and
license drugs to multinational companies.''
The citation was read by V. Mohan,
president, MDRF. S.P. Thyagarajan, Vice-Chancellor, University of Madras,
and Dr. Reddy, felicitated Dr. Mashelkar.