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Promoting health economic evaluation studies in the AYUSH system of medicine: the need of the hour

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 August 2021

Sendhilkumar Muthappan Open the ORCID record for Sendhilkumar Muthappan [Opens in a new window] ,
Bhavani Shankara Bagepally Open the ORCID record for Bhavani Shankara Bagepally [Opens in a new window]  and
Manickam Ponnaiah Open the ORCID record for Manickam Ponnaiah [Opens in a new window]
Sendhilkumar Muthappan
Affiliation:
ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE), R 127, TNHB, Ayapakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu600077, India
Bhavani Shankara Bagepally
Affiliation:
ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE), R 127, TNHB, Ayapakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu600077, India
Manickam Ponnaiah*
Affiliation:
ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE), R 127, TNHB, Ayapakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu600077, India
*
Author for correspondence: Manickam Ponnaiah, E-mail: manickam@nie.gov.in
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Abstract

The double burden of communicable and noncommunicable diseases is a major threat to the Indian public health system. AYUSH, an acronym for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homeopathy, represents the Indian system of medicine recognized by the Government of India. Mainstreaming of AYUSH is one of the key strategies of the Indian government for tackling increasing disease burden through initiatives such as AYUSH wellness centers, telemedicine, and quality control measures for medications in the AYUSH system of medicine. Such investment of resources in health systems may require economic evaluations. However, such evaluations are lacking in the AYUSH system, except for a few in homeopathy and yoga. In the absence of evidence from economic evaluations, researchers and decision makers are guided mostly by clinical efficacy while formulating healthcare strategies. In view of the increasing use of AYUSH across the country, economic evaluations of the AYUSH system are the need of the hour to aid healthcare decision making.

Keywords

AYUSHEconomic evaluationCostsTraditional medicine
Type
Perspective
Information
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care , Volume 37 , Issue 1 , 2021 , e82
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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