Ministry of AYUSH has formed an Inter-disciplinary AYUSH R&D Task Force chaired by Prof Bhushan Patwardhan and having representation from scientists including Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and AYUSH Institutions.

The Interdisciplinary AYUSH Research and Development Task Force has formulated and designed clinical research protocols for prophylactic studies and add-on interventions in COVID-19 positive cases through a thorough review and consultative process of experts of high repute from different organizations across the country for studying four different interventions viz. Ashwagandha, Yashtimadhu, Guduchi + Pippali and a polyherbal formulation (AYUSH-64).

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The task force has taken up the proposals received from screening committees of Councils and proactively explored possibilities based on available leads. Ministry of AYUSH has constituted a core group of experts under the Chairmanship of Prof Bhushan Patwardhan to identify and propose formulations on COVID-19 which are in line with Classical Ayurveda principles and have substantial leads on COVID-19 viz. one for prophylaxis as immunomodulatory, another for management of COVID-19 with antiviral properties and one product for post-COVID-19 care.

Ministry of AYUSH has launched interdisciplinary studies involving AYUSH interventions for COVID-19 based on recommendations of Taskforce. Under various research organizations and National Institutes under the Ministry of AYUSH, 112 research studies at 141 centres in the country are being conducted on AYUSH interventions as prophylactic interventions.

AYUSH Sanjivani mobile app developed by Ministry of AYUSH and has documented the impact assessment of effectiveness, acceptance and usage of AYUSH advisories & measures in the prevention of COVID-19 through Mobile app base population study in around 1.5 crores respondents. 85.1% of the respondents reported the use of AYUSH measures for prevention of COVID-19, among which 89.8% of respondents agreed to have benefitted from the practice of AYUSH advisory.

The Ministry of AYUSH has released “National Clinical Management Protocol based on Ayurveda and Yoga for management of COVID-19” prepared by the National Taskforce which in consensus from expert committees from All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Delhi, Institute of Post Graduate Training and Research in Ayurved (IPGTRA), Jamnagar, and National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur, Central Council for Research in Ayurveda (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN) and other national research organizations as per the Report & Recommendations of the Interdisciplinary Committee.

The Minister of State (The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy), Kiren Rijiju (Additional Charge) stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.