Friday, September 23 2005 18:37 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Terming as 'rubbish' reports raising doubts on the efficacy of the Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM), such as ayurveda and homoeopathy, Health Minister Anbumani Ramaodss today (Sept 23, 2005) said Government has launched a 'golden triangle' project to scientifically validate these medicines.

"Recently some research articles in science journals tried to put down our systems," he said at the inauguration of "Arogya - 2005" here.

While an article in the Journal of American Medical Association had claimed presence of toxic materials in ayurvedic medicines, one in 'Lancet' claimed that homoeopathic medicines had no impact.

"The journals are losing their credibility by bringing out such articles," he said, adding, "There were attempts to destroy our system."

Stressing on the need to scientifically validate the Indian systems of medicine, he said the Government had launched a 'golden triangle research programme' with the collaboration of the Indian Council of Medical Research, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Department of Ayush for the purpose.

The project would involve a spending of Rs 120 crore, he said. "Once this is done no journal will have the audacity to publish such articles," he said.

Warning against moves to patent ISM drugs and Yoga postures, he said an initiative had been taken by the Health Ministry and CSIR to develop a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) for preventing bio-piracy and wrongful patenting of Indian traditional health knowledge.