In a significant achievement demonstrating the strengthening of the country’s health infrastructure and strong momentum to integrate and mainstream AYUSH, a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed between the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Ministry of AYUSH, here on Thursday for collaboration and cooperation in health research in the field of integrated medicine.

The MoA envisages cooperation and collaboration between the Ministry of AYUSH and ICMR for exploring the areas of convergence and synergy between the two organisations for integrative health research and strengthening research capacity.

The MOA also envisages exploring the possibility with the Ayush Ministry and ICMR to work on public health research initiatives for addressing diseases of national importance. Efforts to conduct high-quality clinical trials jointly on identified areas/disease conditions of national importance with promising therapies of the Ayush system to generate evidence for wider acceptance is also part of the agreement signed on Thursday.

A joint working group shall be created between the Ministry of AYUSH and ICMR which will meet quarterly for exploring further areas of collaboration and work on deliverables. Both institutions shall formulate and implement joint research projects and programs and allow joint supervision of the said activities as well as design and conduct conferences, workshops, and seminars jointly with the active participation of researchers interested in the field of Integrative Healthcare.

In addition, as part of the collaboration, scholars/trainees/researchers/faculties of the organisations will have access to advanced instrumentation systems, and other infrastructural facilities as per the prevailing rules and regulations of the organisations for the duration of the visit/joint research project/program. Both shall work towards developing/renewing mutual cooperation for facilitating scientific validation and providing evidence for AYUSH systems by other countries.

Commending the initiative undertaken by the AYUSH Ministry, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said “combining traditional knowledge with modern research & innovation, the MoA signed between the two institutions will boost Ayurveda to further build its identity on the basis of scientific evidence.”