Ayurvedic Center for Collaborative Research

描述（由申请人提供）：补充和替代医学（CAM）在美国的使用正在增加，数百万患有慢性疾病的美国人正在转向辅助和替代医学治疗，其安全性和有效性尚未得到西方科学标准的验证。许多替代医疗系统，如在美国流行起来的阿育吠陀，都起源于其他国家，或者是其他国家的传统。阿育吠陀是一种古老的、多方面的、来自印度的整体医疗体系。基于了解这一传统医疗系统的最佳方式是在其本土环境中进行研究的前提，这项研究的广泛目标是发展美国研究人员与印度科学家和从业者之间的合作关系，在印度建立一个国际CAM研究中心，研究阿育吠陀。我们已确定印度哥印拜陀的阿育吠陀信托基金作为拟议的合作与发展中心。具体目标是：1)发展和巩固阿育吠陀信托基金与美国研究人员之间的长期科学合作；(2)评估阿育吠陀信托基金的可用资源和当前需求，以开展符合当前NIH科学和监管标准的研究项目，并熟悉该信托基金及其运作；(3)完善试点研究的研究设计，为与阿育吠陀信托基金会合作进行更彻底的调查奠定基础，并确定将在随后的国际补充和替代医学研究中心（ICRC）或其他申请中提出的研究议程；(4)启动一项计划，以满足阿育吠陀信托基金的需求，促进成功和合乎道德的研究的开展，包括人员培训；(5)发展促进合作研究的基础设施，包括开发以下核心设施：信息技术基础设施的通信和监测临床试验；阿育吠陀药物质量保证和质量控制实验室；(6)开展一项试验性研究，作为今后红十字委员会申请或通过其他赠款机制提出的更大规模临床试验的基础。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) usage in the U.S. is on the increase and millions of Americans suffering from chronic conditions are turning to CAM treatments, which have not been validated by Western scientific standards for safety and efficacy. Many alternative medical systems like Ayurveda, which are becoming popular in the U.S. have originated or are traditional in other countries. Ayurveda is an ancient, multifaceted, holistic medical system from India. Based on the premise that the optimal way to understand this traditional medical system is by conducting studies in its native setting, the broad goal of this research is to develop collaborative relationships among researchers from the U.S. and scientists and practitioners in India to develop an international center for CAM research in India to study Ayurveda. We have identified The Ayurvedic Trust in Coimbatore, India as the proposed center for collaboration and development. The specific aims are to: 1) Develop and consolidate long-term scientific collaborations between the Ayurvedic Trust and U.S. researchers; (2) Assess the available resources and the current needs for the Ayurvedic Trust to conduct research projects that meet current NIH scientific and regulatory standards, and gain familiarity with the Trust and its operations; (3) Refine the research design for a pilot study to form the basis of more thorough investigations in collaboration with the Ayurvedic Trust, and define the research agenda to be proposed in the subsequent International Centers for Research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (ICRC) or other applications; (4) Initiate a plan to address the needs of the Ayurvedic Trust to facilitate the conduct of successful and ethical research, including training of personnel; (5) Develop the infrastructure to facilitate collaborative research, including developing core facilities for: 1. Information Technology Infrastructure for communications and monitoring clinical trials, and 2. Quality Assurance and Quality Control laboratory for the Ayurvedic medications; (6) Initiate a pilot study to form the basis of larger clinical trials to be proposed in the subsequent ICRC application or through other grant mechanisms.