-NaN:NaN:NaN
For a better listening experience, download the Newslaundry app
Reporters Without Orders Ep 171: Ramdev and his ayurveda claims
A reporters’ podcast about what made news and what shouldn’t have.
In this episode, host Nidhi Suresh is joined by Sidharth Singh of Newslaundry.
On May 31, Ramdev claimed he had scientific evidence to prove the legitimacy of ayurveda in “curing” hypertension, cancer, arthritis, thyroid issues, liver sclerosis, hepatitis, and fatty liver. He gave a slew of interviews to TV news channels to further attack modern medicine over alleged abuses of the pharmaceutical industry. He also made unproven claims about ayurvedic solutions to longstanding medical conundrums.
In Sidharth’s report, he answers the question: what expertise does Ramdev actually possess? He spoke to many ayurvedic practitioners for the report and asked if Ramdev represented them or if he represented ayurveda. “Many said he doesn’t and made a distinction that he’s a yoga guru so why should he be speaking about ayurveda and that he’s not even qualified to be talking about yoga,” he recalled.
Ramdev has often claimed to possess cures for all sorts of diseases. Patanjali’s Divya Mukta Vati Extra Power, for instance, claims to cure hypertension and high blood pressure. Patanjali’s website even says the efficacy of the concoction has been proved by “successfully experimenting with millions of patients”.
Nidhi asks what exactly Sidharth found problematic with such claims? Sidharth says this claim of “successfully experimenting with millions of patients” isn't correct. He found that the sample size wasn’t a million, but barely 50 patients.
“The idea of ayurveda has power in India, I don’t think it's right to say that it is neglected," Sidharth argues. "Going ahead, we have to think about where exactly the general bar is now when it comes to scientific literacy. We have to know what kind of space we can give to traditional medicine?”
Tune in.
Recommendations
Sidharth
In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin
Faith, Reason and Inner Engineering - Jaggi Vasudev & Javed Akhtar
Nidhi
The Freedom to Be Free by Hannah Arendt
Produced by Jude Weston, edited by Umrav Singh.
Support Independent Media
The media must be free and fair, uninfluenced by corporate or state interests. That's why you, the public, need to pay to keep news free.
Contribute
Power NL-TNM Election Fund
General elections are around the corner, and Newslaundry and The News Minute have ambitious plans together to focus on the issues that really matter to the voter. From political funding to battleground states, media coverage to 10 years of Modi, choose a project you would like to support and power our journalism.
Ground reportage is central to public interest journalism. Only readers like you can make it possible. Will you?