Dr. V. S. Kiran Lal, Who Gets to Define 'Evidence'? Ayurveda, Modern Re-search and Geo Politics

Who Gets to Define 'Evidence'? Ayurveda, Modern Re-search, and the Politics of Scientific Legitimacy, Dr. V. S. Kiran Lal, BAMSBoard Member, Indische Fachgesellschaft für Ayurveda Deutschlande.V. (IFAD), Munich, Germany. Defending Ayurveda does not mean defending every treatment, every product or every claim made in its name. A responsible Ayurvedic professional should be prepared to acknowledge limitations, examine evidence and accept criticism where it is justified. At the same time, criticism should be accurate, balanced and based on evidence rather than generalizations. Misinformation can arise when unsubstantiated claims are made in favour of Ayurveda, but it can also arise when Ayurveda is portrayed inaccurately, when its entire body of traditional knowledge is dismissed without adequate examination, or when isolated examples are presented as representative of the whole system. Dr. Kiran Lal's career illustrates a model in which an Ayurvedic physician can contribute beyond the consulting room: as a practitioner, educator, international professional-network builder and advocate for responsible development of Ayurveda. His international clinical background, combined with his involvement in professional Ayurveda networks and his work with herbal pharmaceutical and wellness organisations, provides a foundation for a broader regulatory perspective.