India’s homeopathic ‘cure’ for coronavirus ‘immature and irresponsible’
- The Indian ministry for traditional medicines faced a backlash after it issued an advisory recommending herbal remedies to combat the novel coronavirus
The Indian Medical Association has assailed the Indian ministry that promotes traditional healing for peddling “immature and irresponsible” homeopathic remedies to prevent infections of the novel coronavirus.
Along with generic recommendations and personal hygiene tips, the communique advised that patients ingest various herbal concoctions to “strengthen the immune system” and other traditional medicines “useful in [the] symptomatic management of coronavirus infection”.
None of the medicines prescribed in the advisory appeared to have undergone clinical validation.
The advisory said that homoeopathic or alternative medicines would prevent infection and treat symptoms of the coronavirus, which has so far spread to as many as 24 countries.
The virus, which is spread through the air by coughing and sneezing and through human-to-human contact, has so far caused at least 200 deaths. Although medical researchers are working on developing a vaccine to combat the disease, there is no known cure.
Dr RV Asokan, secretary general of the Indian Medical Association, which comprises more than 300,000 medical practitioners, said it was premature of AYUSH to recommend unproven therapies for coronavirus treatment or prevention.