The International Association for the Study of Traditional Asian Medicine (IASTAM) and the Asian Society for the History of Medicine (ASHM) are two of the most esteemed global communities focused on advancing the understanding of Asian medicines. The Double Tenth Conference, which was postponed for four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has reemerged as a crucial platform for reevaluating and celebrating the role of traditional medicine in addressing emerging infectious diseases.
The 2024 conference, hosted by the National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine (NRICM) and the Chinese Medical Advancement Foundation (CMAF), brought together experts and scholars worldwide to share insights and experiences in traditional medicine.
The Personalized Precision Health Systems Foundation (PPHS Foundation), along with ICU INDIA Trust and the Centre for Advanced Studies in Integrated Research in Ayurveda (CASIRA), played a pivotal role in the conference by presenting a panel on cooperative medicine. Their presentation emphasized the success of healing advanced infectious diseases when traditional medicine and biomedicine are used cooperatively with equal emphasis.
The panel showcased specific examples of clinical management to highlight the relevance of cooperative medicine over integrative medicine. Cooperative medicine involves creating an "ethical space" where traditional and modern medicine interact, engaging with the patient at the center of care. This approach allows for a deeper understanding and utilization of the knowledge and philosophy of traditional medicine alongside modern biomedicine rather than selectively extracting formulations and therapies.
The presentation resonated strongly with the audience, earning the team a Travel Grant Award for their significant contributions to the field.
The PPHS Foundation's team featured a diverse group of experts dedicated to advancing cooperative medicine and personalized precision health systems. Dr. Rajnikant Patel BAMS, a renowned Ayurveda expert, led the panel.
Dr. Patel is the Chief Ayurveda Physician at Agnivesh Ayurved Hospital in Surat and an executive member of the PPHS Foundation in Bangalore. He has achieved significant recognition for managing over 1,500 cases of mucormycosis using Ayurveda; notably, his successful treatment of mucormycosis for a Pakistani citizen was featured by BBC News during the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the IASTAM-ASHM conference, Dr. Patel presented "Understanding the Context of Discovery in Ayurveda for Managing Infectious Diseases: Experience of an Ayurveda Physician in the Management of Mucormycosis." He emphasized that combining Ayurveda and modern medicine through a cooperative approach allows for innovation and discovery, as demonstrated by his success in managing high-risk mucormycosis cases.
Dr. Ashwath Rao MBBS MS, a highly esteemed general surgeon and a key figure in personalized precision health systems, also presented at the panel. With deep roots in Ayurveda from his family background, Dr. Rao combines modern medical training with Ayurvedic practices to treat acute and difficult-to-manage conditions. He has successfully treated high-risk ICU patients by integrating Ayurveda interventions with modern medicine and surgery.
Dr. Rao's innovative approach has garnered acknowledgment from internationally renowned cardiac surgeon Dr. MS Valiathan and former Indian Supreme Court Judge Santhosh N. Hegde. His work includes incorporating Ayurveda interventions in surgical cases to avoid using antibiotics and analgesics.
At the conference, Dr. Rao presented "Thinking Beyond Integrative Medicine: The Scope of Cooperation of Medical Systems in Advanced Infectious Disease Care Settings—A Biomedical Surgeon's Experience." His presentation highlighted the potential of cooperative medicine in advanced care settings, particularly in ICUs, for managing infectious diseases.
Dr. Skanthesh Lakshmanan, BAMS, PGDCR, MSc, a clinical researcher, research ethicist, and Fogarty International Fellow, is currently the director of the PPHS Foundation. Specializing in research ethics, intercultural knowledge systems, and ethics technology assessment, Dr. Lakshmanan has played a significant role in advancing traditional medicine research. He has served as the chief coordinator for Ayu Emergency Yatra, a nationwide initiative endorsed by the Ministry of AYUSH, India.
At the conference, Dr. Lakshmanan presented "The Critique on Integrated Medicine and the Construct of Cooperative Medicine at the Foundation of Ethical Spaces." His talk critiqued the limitations of integrated medicine and proposed that cooperative medicine could provide a more effective framework for addressing complex healthcare concerns by enabling knowledge synthesis.
Dr. Oriparambil Sivaraman Nirmal Ghosh, MSc, MTech, Ph.D., is a distinguished nanotechnologist and a key proponent of personalized precision health systems. With expertise in phytoprofiling, standardization, and the development of multifunctional nanohybrids for theranostics, Dr. Ghosh has focused on nanotechnology applications in traditional medicine.
At the conference, Dr. Ghosh presented "Process Mapping of Ayurvedic and Siddha Rasaushadi Drug Synthesis to Develop an Empirical Framework Based on Structure-Property Relationships." His presentation discussed how the unique nanostructure-property relationships of traditional herbo-mineral drugs could inform personalized precision medicine in managing infectious diseases.
Dr. Vinayak Padikkal Varyam, BAMS, MPH, a public health implementation strategy expert, specializes in integrating traditional knowledge with public health practices. He is the founder-managing trustee of CASIRA, a think tank dedicated to advancing the science of Ayurveda through rigorous research, policy analysis, and advocacy. At the same time, he is also the director of the PPHS Foundation in Bangalore.
At the conference, Dr. Varyam presented "Public Health Perspectives on Cooperative Medicine," which explored the role of Ayurveda in combating emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance from a population health perspective. He emphasized that cooperation between biomedicine and technology is essential for achieving optimal community health outcomes.
The conference fostered valuable discussions on integrating traditional medicine with modern healthcare practices, opening new avenues for collaboration between India and Taiwan in areas such as traditional medicine, health research, and medical tourism.
The PPHS Foundation also underscored the potential economic and cultural benefits of medical tourism between India and Taiwan, emphasizing the need for ministry-level collaborations.
Overall, the IASTAM-ASHM conference was a pivotal event for the PPHS Foundation, CASIRA, and ICU INDIA Trust. It solidified their leadership in cooperative medicine and paved the way for future collaborations to enhance global understanding and application of traditional medicine in modern healthcare.