Indian Council of Medical Research to validate traditional Indian therapies

Ahmedabad-based National Innovation Foundation-India (NIF) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) at Delhi yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding , which is an extension of an earlier one that was signed between the two in 2006 for validation of practices received from traditional knowledge holders from across the country.

The MoU, which is effective for five years, was signed by ICMR director general V M Katoch and executive vice-chairperson of NIF Anil K Gupta at ICMR headquarters in New Delhi.

Through the MoU, ICMR would work to validate the safety and efficacy of the practices of grassroots healers who offer therapeutic value.
Grassroots practices and medicines would be documented and sourced from the NIF database.

According to Gupta, the collaboration would strengthen the synergy between the country's apex institution for medical research and the informal, un-codified and non-classical health related people's knowledge in the country. He added,  the collaboration would focus on traditional knowledge-based practices at the grassroots level and would also serve to recognise and reward the economically poor who have made innovations in traditional knowledge for inclusive development.

NIF, an autonomous body, functions under the department of science & technology, government of India. The collaboration would focus on knowledge-based traditional practices.

Meanwhile, the ICMRwill undertake research in the area of 'role of probiotics in child and women's health. Studies will be undertaken on role of probiotics bacteria in mucosal protection against HIV in breastfeeding; as also probiotics as adjunct / alternative to antibiotic therapy.