AYUSH rubbishes claims made by NICE

Ministry of AYUSH has rubbished media reports of claims made by a naturopathy related firm, Network of Influenza Care Experts (NICE) on Covid-19 treatment protocol's attribution to the Ministry. Ayush Ministry has termed the claim as 'unethically and misleadingly' attributed to the Ministry.

New Delhi:Ministry of AYUSH on Thursday rubbished media reports of claims made by a naturopathy related firm, Network of Influenza Care Experts (NICE) on Covid-19 treatment protocol's attribution to the ministry. Ayush ministry has termed the claim as 'unethically and misleadingly' attributed to the ministry. Media reports earlier appeared stating that the National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN), Pune, under the Ministry of AYUSH recommends Dr Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury's N.I.C.E. protocol for mild to severe COVID-19 patients.

Denying the claims made by NICE, the ministry has slammed it as baseless in a press release. "Some media organisations have published the false claim made by NICE without verifying the facts from the Ministry of Ayush," said the release.

Ministry said no proposal went through the scrutiny of the Interdisciplinary Technical Review Committee (ITRC), which is part of the protocol. NIN Pune clarified that AYUSH has not approved the protocol developed by NICE.

Substantiating the rebuff, the release also stated that the National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN) Pune had termed it as "some tall and misleading claims".

Further, a press release dated July 28 said, NIN has done a retrospective observational study for documenting the practices being adopted at N.I.C.E. Centre, Ahmednagar. It was an academic activity, accepted only after thorough scientific scrutiny, not an endorsement of the said practices and a report was made on the basis.

In a press conference held on July 23, NIN disapproved the statement supposedly made by N.I.C.E and a video being circulated in social media where it is stated there is no need to wear PPE kits, masks or follow social distancing.