**Executive Summary**
This document responds to a parliamentary question regarding the Indian government's support for research into using Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani medicines as adjunct therapies for cancer patients. The response, dated December 12th, 2025, confirms government support, details ongoing projects in Southern India, and clarifies that there is no proposal to establish an Integrated AYUSH Oncology Centre at Tirupati, though evidence-based Siddha treatment is available at the Siddha Clinical Research Unit in Tirupati.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Government Support:** The government supports clinical and collaborative research on the use of Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani medicines as adjunct therapies for cancer patients.
* **Ayurveda Projects:**
* A tripartite MoU exists between All India Institute of Ayurveda (Goa), the Directorate of Health Services (Government of Goa), and the Advanced Centre for Treatment Research and Education in Cancer (Tata Memorial Centre) for collaborative arrangements in integrative cancer care.
* Ayush-ICMR collaboration has established an Ayush-ICMR Advanced Centre for Integrative Health Research (AI-ACIHR) in Cancer Care at AIIMS, Nagpur, undertaking two projects on cancer care.
* Two projects are supported under the Centre of Excellence (CoE) component of Ayurswasthya Yojana for integrative cancer care.
* Financial assistance is provided to the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, for a study on Gomutra Ark as an anti-cancer agent.
* The Captain Srinivasa Murthy Central Ayurveda Research Institute, Chennai, has undertaken the study on “Anti cancer activity of Chaulmoogra Oil and Shwetha Sarshapa churna in the treatment of epidermal carcinoma of skin in experimental mice”.
* **Siddha Initiatives:**
* A Siddha Integrated Cancer Care Centre is established at the National Institute of Siddha, Chennai, with a MoU with the Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar, Chennai, for patient-oriented and collaborative research activities.
* An Integrated Siddha Cancer Care OPD functions at the Siddha Clinical Research Unit, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences Campus, Tirupati, providing Siddha medicines as adjunct therapies.
* CCRS has constituted a core committee for Cancer Research.
* **Unani Studies:** The National Institute of Unani Medicine, Bengaluru, has conducted three in-house studies on cancer.
* **AYUSH Oncology Centre:** There is no proposal to establish an Integrated AYUSH Oncology Centre at Tirupati.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** Cancer Patients
* **Impact:** Cancer patients may benefit from access to research and potential adjunct therapies using Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani medicines.
* **Action Required:** None explicitly stated, but patients may inquire about participating in research studies or accessing the Siddha treatments at the identified facilities.
**Stakeholder:** Research Institutions (e.g., All India Institute of Ayurveda, AIIMS Nagpur, National Institute of Siddha, National Institute of Unani Medicine)
* **Impact:** These institutions are involved in conducting the research projects and providing treatment related to AYUSH and cancer.
* **Action Required:** Continue carrying out the research projects and treatment programs as outlined in the document.
**Stakeholder:** Ministry of AYUSH
* **Impact:** The Ministry is responsible for supporting and overseeing research and initiatives related to AYUSH therapies for cancer.
* **Action Required:** Continue to provide funding, guidance, and oversight to the research institutions and treatment programs.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of AYUSH: The Indian governmental ministry responsible for developing and promoting Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy.
Ayurswasthya Yojana: A scheme that includes a Centre of Excellence (CoE) component that supports integrative cancer care.
Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS): Provides evidence-based Siddha treatment for chronic and lifestyle-related diseases.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur: Location of Ayush-ICMR Advanced Centre for Integrative Health Research (AI-ACIHR) in Cancer Care.
Chennai: City in Tamil Nadu where Siddha Integrated Cancer Care Centre is located.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AYUSH
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2252
TO BE ANSWERED ON 12th DECEMBER 2025
AYUSH Oncology Centre
2252. Dr. Gumma Thanuja Rani
Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is supporting clinical and collaborative research on the use of
Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicines as adjunct therapies for cancer patients in the
country;
(b) if so, the details of such ongoing or proposed projects in Southern India, particularly in
Andhra Pradesh;
(c) whether the Government proposes to establish an Integrated AYUSH Oncology Centre at
Tirupati to promote evidence-based traditional treatment options for chronic and lifestyle-
related diseases; and
(d) if so, the details thereof ?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYUSH
(SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) Yes
(b) The details of such ongoing or proposed projects in Southern India are annexed.
(c) There is no such proposal. However, Siddha Clinical Research Unit, Tirupati under
Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) provides evidence-based Siddha treatment
for chronic and lifestyle related diseases.
(d) Does not arise.Annexure
Ayush
System of Projects
medicine
1. A triparty Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is entered between All India
Institute of Ayurveda, Goa (An autonomous Institute under Ministry of Ayush),
The Directorate of Health Services (Government of Goa) and Advanced Centre
for Treatment Research and Education in Cancer (Tata Memorial Centre) on
10th Ayurveda Day – 23rd September, 2025 at All India Institute of Ayurveda,
Goa for collaborative arrangement at various levels including treatment,
research and education, and their deployment for integrative cancer care.
2. A joint initiative under Ayush-Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
collaboration has been taken by Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic
Sciences to establish Ayush-ICMR Advanced Centre for Integrative Health
Research (AI-ACIHR) in Cancer Care at All India Institute of Medical Sciences
Ayurveda (AIIMS), Nagpur. Under this, two projects on cancer care titled “Exploring
Ayurvedic Combinations and Natural Compounds in Treatment of Oral
Premalignant lesions and Oral Cancer and Integration with Modern Medicine:
A Pilot Study” and “Efficacy of classical Ayurvedic treatment (CAT) as add-on
to conventional biomedicine: Integrated approach to determine improvement in
quality of life of head-neck cancer (HNC) patients” have been taken up.
3. Under Centre of Excellence (CoE) component of Ayurswasthya Yojana
following 02 projects are supported for integrative cancer care combining
modern medicine with evidence-based Ayush therapies for improving patient
outcomes:
a) Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal Project titled "Setting up CoE in Cancer
Research Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal, Kerala”
b) Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai project titled "Centre of Excellence for
Discovery and Development of AYUSH Medicine for Cancer Care"
4. Under Research & Innovation in Ayush of Ayurgyan Scheme, financial
assistance is provided to the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela,
Odisha for the study titled- “Gomutra Ark as a potent anti-cancer agent for the
treatment of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma - Molecular Mechanismunderlying its anti-cancer effect”.
5. Captain Srinivasa Murthy Central Ayurveda Research Institute, Chennai has
undertaken the study on “Anti cancer activity of Chaulmoogra Oil and Shwetha
Sarshapa churna in the treatment of epidermal carcinoma of skin in
experimental mice”.
1. A Siddha Integrated Cancer Care Centre has been set up at
National Institute of Siddha, Chennai. The Institute has signed an MoU with the
Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar, Chennai, through which various patient-oriented
and collaborative Research activities are carried out.
2. An Integrated Siddha Cancer Care OPD is functioning at
Siddha Siddha Clinical Research Unit, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical
Sciences Campus, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
The center provides Siddha medicines as adjunct therapies for cancer patients
and facilitates improvising the quality of life.
3. CCRS has constituted a core committee for Cancer Research that will be
spearheading all preclinical and clinical initiatives related to Cancer research
through Siddha system of medicine.
National Institute of Unani Medicine, Bengaluru has conducted 03 in house
studies on cancer-
a. On the effect of Aftimoon on Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene induced mammary
carcinoma in rats.
b. On the effect of Dhamasa on benzene induced Acute Myeloid Leukemia in
Unani
rats.
c. On the effect of Majoon Musaffi Khoon on Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
****