Discuss how evidence-informed standardisation of traditional medicine supports India's commitments under the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034.

The 78th World Health Assembly adopted the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 in May 2025. The strategy asks member states to build the evidence base, ensure safety and quality, and integrate traditional medicine into health systems [2]. India's new Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) on dermatological disorders put these commitments into practice. They cover Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy, plus Yoga [1].

How standardisation supports the WHO commitments

• Evidence base: The STGs combine classical texts, current evidence and expert consensus, and were field-validated with Delhi's Medical Officers [1]. Researchers can test a fixed protocol for psoriasis or vitiligo in outcome studies, which is not possible when every practitioner treats differently.
• Safety and quality: The STGs set uniform steps for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and rehabilitation [1]. This makes practice auditable. It also responds to the Parliamentary Standing Committee's call for post-marketing surveillance and outcome data [5].
• Integration with health systems: The Ayush Vertical of DGHS (MoHFW) prepared the STGs, so the Ayush and modern-medicine administrations are now working together [1]. Using STGs together with ICD-TM2 codes makes Ayush hospitals eligible for insurance empanelment [4].
• Global leadership: India co-hosted the 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in New Delhi in December 2025 [3]. Standard protocols make India's case for global acceptance of Ayush more credible.

Gaps that limit this support

• Evidence-informed is not evidence-based: Expert consensus does not prove that a treatment works the way a randomised trial does [1].
• Weak pharmacovigilance: Since 2018, only 1,637 adverse-reaction reports have been recorded, compared with 32,527 misleading advertisements [7]. The Committee also flagged high metal content in Ayush drugs [5].
• Limited State capacity: More than 69% of approved integrated Ayush hospitals were still under construction [5]. Health is a State subject, so adoption depends on the States.
• Safety monitoring came from a court order: The Ayush Suraksha portal was set up only after a Supreme Court order in WP(C) 645/2022 [6].

Standardisation puts India's WHO commitments into practice, but STGs are only the first step in building evidence. As next steps, the Ayush Research Councils should run outcome studies on the STGs, and doctors should report adverse reactions through Ayush Suraksha [6]. Ayush drug standards should also be harmonised with international norms [5]. Together, these steps would help India advance SDG 3 and lead the world in evidence-based integrative care.