Publication:

Health technology assessment in Ayurvedic insights

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is a multidisciplinary approach in evaluating the clinical, cost-efficacy, ethical and the social attributes of health interventions in order to facilitate the process of evidence-based decision-making. With the current transformation of health systems in the world towards integrative and Adeo type of care, the traditional medical systems like Ayurveda must be assessed systematically to prove their relevance and applicability in the modern health care systems. The holistic, preventive and personal approach to healthcare, Ayurveda, represents an immensely rich store of therapeutic, diagnostic and prophylactic healthcare, or health, technologies, which can be used to play a significant role in sustainable and equitable healthcare models.

Purpose The purpose of this review is to understand the conceptual incorporation of HTA principles in Ayurvedic healthcare. It attempts to establish the obstacles, prospects and methodological modifications that are required to evaluate Ayurvedic interventions in accordance with the contemporary evidence-based paradigms and yet maintain the philosophical and holistic integrity of the system.

Methods Narrative and conceptual review method was followed based on the WHO documents on HTA, national policy models as HTAIn (India) and peer-reviewed articles on Ayurveda, integrative health, and evidence generation.