Centre Tightens Safety Norms for Siddha Therapies

Centre Tightens Safety Norms for Siddha Therapies

Why in the News ?

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has introduced detailed Codes of Practice for Siddha therapies such as Pugai and Poti Timirtal, mandating patient screening, informed consent, treatment documentation, and adverse-event reporting to improve safety and standardization in traditional healthcare.

BIS Introduces New Safety Standards for Siddha:

• BIS has issued structured guidelines for Siddha therapies including Pugai (fumigation therapy) and Poti Timirtal (herbal powder rubbing).
• New rules require pre-treatment patient assessment, written informed consent, and adverse-event reporting, following the precautionary principle to ensure patient safety.
• Practitioners must maintain proper treatment records, monitoring details, and follow-up documentation, avoiding any ex post facto approval scenarios.
• The guidelines aim to transform traditional therapies from practitioner-driven practices into standardized healthcare interventions.
• Experts believe these measures will enhance patient safety, treatment consistency, and quality assurance across Siddha institutions.

Debate Over Standardisation in Traditional Medicine

• The new norms have generated mixed reactions within the AYUSH community.
• Some Siddha practitioners argue that allopathic-style reporting mechanisms may not suit traditional healing systems.
• Dr. Rakesh Kotwal emphasized that traditional therapies should not be strictly governed by standards designed for modern medicine, cautioning against retrospective environmental clearances-style regulatory approaches.
• In contrast, Dr. Anand Vishal supported the move, stating that patient safety principles should apply across all healthcare systems, promoting environmental democracy in stakeholder consultations.
• The debate reflects the challenge of balancing traditional medical practices with modern regulatory and safety requirements.