CCRAS and NCISM release "SMART2.0" to bring ayurvedic research into the mainstream.

On January 3, the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) launched the "SMART 2.0" program. By encouraging cooperation between research organizations and academic institutions, it seeks to advance evidence-based clinical research on important Ayurvedic treatments.

Concerning SMART 2.0

"Scope for Mainstreaming Ayurvedic Research among Teaching Professionals" is what "SMART" enlarges to.

Ayurvedic colleges, hospitals, and universities are encouraged to exhibit interest in working together to do thorough research that prove the effectiveness and safety of Ayurvedic formulations aimed at important healthcare issues. This initiative is being carried out by the CCRAS and NCISM.Focus Areas

Initial studies focus on malnutrition, lifestyle illnesses, women's health, and pediatrics:

• Nutrition in Childhood: Wasting and lactation problems

• Menstrual problems: unusual uterine hemorrhage; • Nutrition: malnourishment, insufficient calcium

• Lifestyle Disorders: osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus

CCRAS will oversee the initiative and contribute scientific expertise throughout the multi-center studies.

The Need to Bring Ayurvedic Research Mainstream

Compared to mainstream treatment, Ayurveda has much more promise, but its inclusion into public healthcare programs is limited by evidence gaps.

Therefore, using multidisciplinary techniques integrating government bodies and academicians, the SMART initiatives promote the generation of concrete validation on Ayurvedic medicines.

Previous examples of success under the previous SMART 1.0 round on ten disease areas show the efficacy of the collaborative approach.

Seeking More Involvement

As India launches large campaigns to promote Ayush systems, increasing the amount of clinical research in which practitioners participate can help to dispel misconceptions and facilitate the responsible adoption of these systems.

To expand this scholarly outreach across regions, the CCRAS has solicited interest from all Ayurvedic teaching institutions across the nation.

Overall, the SMART 2.0 initiative indicates increased attempts to actively combine science and tradition in order to place Ayurveda in India's medical mainstream on an equal basis of evidence.