No news story about any system of medicine should be published in media without first verifying from the experts

Ministry of Ayush recently published a reply to a news story titled "Ayurvedic Med Poses Life Threat" published in The Pune Mirror newspaper on 25th December, 2017.

The letter said that “the title of the news item was so generalized that it may lead to an overall distrust in the minds of the readers at large regarding the safety, efficacy and overall credibility of Ayurveda in general and Suvama Bhasma- an important Ayurvedic medicine in particular… It is pertinent to note that one bad example cannot be allowed to tarnish the credibility of the whole system of Ayurveda. In view of the above, 'The pune Mirror' may consider publishing a corrigendum *rand apology at the earliest to enlighten the readers and explain to this Ministry the basis of publishing the news in such an irresponsible manner, within two weeks of this communication failing which, the matter will be taken up with PTI and PIB. Also, the newspaper may abstain from publishing such derogatory reports which tarnish the credibility of time tested medicines”.

As per Vedic knowledge when the matter is converted into non-matter in the form of energy, it is used either as potentised drug in homoepathy or a bhasma in Ayurveda.

 During the processes of potentisation or trituration in homeopathy and bhasma formation by the process of homa in Ayurveda, when the matter converts  into non matter (non measurable), it changes its properties. It is non-measurable at this stage by any current investigational criteria. 

If any matter is detected, it indicates adulteration or inadequate trituration or potentisation.

There are regulators in all respective fields, as are experts. Hence, any complaint should be referred to them rather than addressing them in the media without any expertise in that field. 

No such news story should be allowed to be published in media  without first verifying facts or fact checking. It may not be the truth.

This is equally true for all systems of medicine.

Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri Awardee
Vice President CMAAO
Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications

President Heart Care Foundation of India

Immediate Past National President IMA

Trial by media: Is it just and fair?

Media has a great role in shaping the opinion of the society and how people perceive events that take place. It’s no longer just a medium of communication. Media can pronounce a person “guilty” simply by changing the perception.

This is what happened in the coverage of actor Sridevi’s death last month in Dubai, when the media conducted a trial and gave a verdict, even while the post mortem report was awaited. Several theories on what caused her death were making the rounds. Her death became a topic for discussion for almost everyone.

She was 54 years old and according to her family had no history of heart disease. The subtext changed quickly from sudden cardiac arrest to multiple plastic and cosmetic surgeries to diet pills to stress of her celebrity status to alcohol to even discord in her relationship with her husband and depression arising thereof. Her ‘suspicious’ death was also labeled as a possible homicide.

An autopsy may not take place on the same day of the death. Autopsy includes gross examination, blood tests, viscera analysis and histopathology. All these take time.

All these theories came to naught when following the completion of post mortem analysis, Dubai police headquarters stated that the death occurred due to drowning in her hotel apartment's bath tub following loss of consciousness.

Media even ruled out cardiac arrest.

The fact is even drowning death cannot occur without cardiac arrest. Drowning death can be seizure or arrhythmic unconsciousness leading to gasping, aspiration of water and death while taking a bath in the tub or falling down in the tub. In the first case, the person will be in the bathing dress and in the second, the person will be fully dressed up.  

In medicine, there is always a way of differential diagnosis and until a final diagnosis is reached, it’s not right to speculate.

An unfair media trial creates wrong perceptions, myths and generates fear and apprehension such as multiple cosmetic surgeries may lead to a heart attack.

Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri Awardee
Vice President CMAAO
Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications

President Heart Care Foundation of India

Immediate Past National President IMA