A Technical Brief titled ” Mapping the application of artificial Intelligence in traditional Medicine ” has ben released by World health organisation ( WHO) …
…..acknowledges the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) and is actively involved in guiding its responsible integration, The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming traditional medicine (TM), enhancing its efficacy, accessibility, and research capabilities.
Diagnostics and treatment by traditional medicine
- Improved Accuracy: AI-powered systems analyze diverse data, including traditional diagnostic methods (like pulse reading and tongue analysis), genomics, and electronic health records, to enhance the accuracy of diagnosis and guide treatment decisions.
- Personalized Treatments: AI enables tailored treatment plans by correlating patient data, including genetic profiles and lifestyle factors, with traditional wisdom and modern pharmacology.
- Enhanced Predictive Analytics: AI identifies disease risk factors and predicts health trends, enabling proactive interventions and personalized preventive care strategies consistent with TM’s focus on preventative care.
- Acupuncture Enhancement: AI has shown promise in areas such as acupoint selection, prescription, technique identification, and efficacy prediction, according to Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine.
- Decoding Herbal Formulations: AI helps decipher the genomic and molecular basis of herbal formulations for potential use in modern medicine, bridging traditional knowledge with modern science…
- Quality Control and Authentication: AI, combined with techniques like spectroscopy and chromatography, ensures the quality and authenticity of herbal products by identifying adulteration and contamination.
Research and knowledge preservation:
- Accelerated Drug Discovery: AI accelerates drug discovery by analyzing data from traditional medicines and identifying potential candidates for developing new drugs.
- Data Analysis and Pattern Recognition: AI helps analyze large datasets to uncover patterns and relationships that may not be apparent to human researchers, fostering a deeper understanding of TM principles.
- Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL): Initiatives like India’s TKDL utilize AI to preserve and protect indigenous medical heritage, combating biopiracy….
- Semantic Analysis of Ancient Texts: AI tools facilitate the cataloging and semantic analysis of ancient texts, making traditional therapeutic knowledge more accessible..
Challenges and limitations:
- Data Scarcity and Standardization: Lack of standardized terminology and high-quality data sets in TM hinders effective AI training.
- Data Privacy and Security: Protecting sensitive patient data is paramount, requiring robust data protection measures and adherence to regulations.
- Ethical Considerations: Ensuring fairness, accountability, and avoiding algorithmic bias in AI systems is crucial.
- Regulatory Frameworks: Clear legal and ethical frameworks tailored to the unique complexities of AI in TM are necessary to ensure responsible development and use.
- The Human Touch: Balancing the efficiency and data-driven insights of AI with the empathetic care that is central to the patient-provider relationship in TM is essential.
India’s pioneering role :
India is at the forefront of integrating AI with traditional medicine systems (AYUSH), particularly Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Sowa Rigpa, and Homoeopathy. This initiative aligns with the vision of utilizing AI for social development and inclusive growth.
Way forward for Traditional medicines:
- Robust Data Governance: Developing frameworks for data privacy, indigenous rights, and standardized data collection is essential.
- Capacity Building: Investing in digital literacy and infrastructure is crucial to bridge the digital divide.
- Global Collaboration: Fostering international cooperation for research, policy, and ethical standards will accelerate progress.
- Evidence-Based Integration: Continued research and validation of traditional practices using scientific methods and AI will ensure safe, effective, and accessible healthcare.
- Collaboration: Collaboration between AI experts, TM practitioners, and policymakers is vital to address challenges and harness the full potential of this integration.
AI presents a transformative opportunity to modernize and advance traditional medicine globally, making healthcare more personalized, efficient, and accessible, particularly with responsible development and use….for technology innovation link with www.eminentnews.com
