Parliamentary Panel Calls for Faster Standardisation of AYUSH Treatment Guidelines

A Parliamentary panel has called upon the Ministry of Ayush to speed up the notification of comprehensive Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) across recognised AYUSH systems, seeking greater consistency, credibility and transparency in traditional healthcare services.

The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare made the recommendation in its 176th report on affordability and accessibility of healthcare facilities in the public and private sectors.

According to the committee, the absence of widely institutionalised clinical protocols has contributed to concerns among modern-medicine practitioners and private health insurers. Standardised, evidence-based treatment benchmarks could help improve confidence among healthcare providers while making insurance assessment and reimbursement more predictable.

The panel has recommended that comprehensive STGs should apply to empanelled public and private healthcare institutions. It has also proposed incorporating these guidelines into cross-disciplinary Continuing Medical Education programmes to improve understanding among healthcare professionals and insurance underwriters.

Regulation of AYUSH wellness centres and clinical spas is another area receiving attention. The committee has proposed mandatory accreditation based on recognised ISO and Bureau of Indian Standards requirements, developed in collaboration with the Quality Council of India. Accreditation should also be linked with transparent disclosure of treatment prices and tariff structures.

The recommendations come as India seeks to expand its position in traditional medicine and wellness tourism while strengthening quality assurance within the domestic sector.

The committee has further suggested that part of the revenue generated from international medical and wellness tourism could support an AYUSH healthcare equity fund, helping subsidise treatments, diagnostics and essential medicines for economically disadvantaged patients.

10-09-2026