The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), in partnership with the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM), has launched the ‘SMART 2.0’ program. SMART 2.0. A press release on this launch was issued on January 3, 2024.
SMART 2.0 is an acronym for ‘Scope for Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research among Teaching professionals.’ It aims to facilitate robust clinical studies in priority areas of Ayurveda through collaboration with academic institutions and hospitals nationwide.
The Director-General of CCRAS highlighted that the SMART 2.0 program focuses on safety, tolerability, and adherence to Ayurveda formulations in key research areas. These priority areas include Bal Kasa, Malnutrition, Insufficient lactation, Abnormal Uterine Bleeding, Osteoporosis in post-menopausal women, and Diabetes Mellitus (DM) II.
CCRAS, as the apex organization under the Ministry of Ayush, is committed to promoting research on scientific lines in Ayurveda. The ‘SMART 2.0’ initiative seeks to generate tangible evidence demonstrating the efficacy and safety of Ayurvedic interventions. By employing interdisciplinary research methods, the program aims to translate these findings into public healthcare practices.
Under the earlier ‘SMART 1.0,’ the initiative successfully covered around 10 diseases, fostering active participation from teaching professionals in 38 colleges. The expansion of the program to ‘SMART 2.0’ reflects a commitment to building on previous successes and furthering the integration of Ayurvedic principles into mainstream healthcare.
Academic institutions interested in participating in collaborative research activities can submit their ‘Expression of Interest’ using the prescribed format available on the CCRAS website SMART 2.0 – Expression of Interest. Queries or additional information can be directed to ccrassmart2.0[at]gmail[dot]com, copying president.boa@ncismindia.org. The deadline for submissions is January 10, 2024.
This initiative signals a significant step toward fostering synergy between traditional Ayurvedic wisdom and modern research methodologies, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the efficacy and acceptance of Ayurveda in contemporary healthcare practices.
