Swiss Regulatory Model

In 2009, the Swiss people voted to add a new article to its constitution for the recognition of complementary medicine. Press release 2009

Switzerland is thus the first Western country to implement the integration of CAM in its public health system and to institutionalize Ayurveda in its complete span, covering the fields of clinical practice, professional training, research and availability of medicines.

Following were the official claims for the implementation:

recognised specialisation in complementary medicine for medical degree holders √ 2014
new professions in medicine and therapy for persons without prior medical training √ 2014/15 Press release, May 4 2015
reimbursement by health insurances √ 2014
revision of the law on therapeutic products for facilitated registration √ 2019
access to funding of research and development of complementary medicine √

In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the first edition of the benchmarks for professional training in Ayurveda, the up-dated edition being published in 2022. The content is inspired by the CCIM syllabus for ayurvedic doctors in India (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery, BAMS).

Implementation In Switzerland

Specialization for physicians – New professions – Reimbursement

The therapeutic professions defined for complementary and alternative medicine in Switzerland are compliant with those defined by the WHO Benchmarks for training in Ayurveda.

AYURVEDA MEDICINE

WHO guidelines

Swiss Public Health System

Category I, type 1

Training in ayurvedic medicine without prior training in modern medicine

(training in Ayurveda more comprehensive than for type 2)

FEDERAL DIPLOMA IN AYURVEDA MEDICINE

for persons without prior training in modern medicine

> Reimbursed by complementary insurances

Under a new profession

· regulated by the govt. body “Org. for the professional world of Alternative Medicine”, OdA AM

· under the auspices of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and innovation (SEFRI) of the Swiss government

Category I, type 2

Training in ayurvedic medicine with prior training in modern medicine

SPECIALIST TITLE IN AYURVEDA

for Swiss physicians

> Reimbursed by basic insurances

Regulation for recognition in Ayurveda is under way

AYURVEDA THERAPY
WHO guidelines	Swiss Public Health System
Category 2, type 1 Training in manual ayurvedic techniques (pancha karma)	FEDERAL DIPLOMA IN AYURVEDA THERAPY (covering WHO type 1 and 2) > Reimbursed by complementary insurances Under a new profession · regulated by the “Org. for the professional world of Complementary Therapy”, OdA KT · under the auspices of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and innovation (SEFRI) of the Swiss government.
Category 2, type 2 Training in ayurvedic nutrition

WHO foresees a Category III for dispensers and distributors of Ayurveda medicines and products.

According to the above Swiss regulations, the practitioner in Ayurveda medicine is trained in management, hygiene and preparation of ayurvedic medicinal products.

Revision of the law on therapeutic products

The law has been revised and subsequently a list of Ayurveda medicines (singles plants and traditional formulations from the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India and from the Ayurvedic Formulary of India) have been submitted to Swissmedic (the Swiss FDA) since 2018 to be recognized as therapeutic products.

In July 2023, the first 41 plants have been officially added to the TAS list by Swissmedic, which recognizes the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia and the Ayurvedic Formulary of India as references.

Note: TAS stands for “Traditionnelle Asiatische Stoffe”, meaning Traditional Asian Substances

Funding for research & development

This provision is granted like the other ones, and as for the others, it requires substantial work and determination to succeed. Funding for research is a very competitive environment and funds are mainly granted for research in integrative medicine.

References

Regarding the regulations of Ayurveda in the two new professions, see following links (GER, FR, IT)

Ayurveda medicine:

Oda AM / regulatory body for the profession of practitioners in Ayurveda medicine
List of Ayurveda medicines for the training (these are the plants and formulations that the students need to know in detail, but the list submitted to Swissmedic is much larger)

Ayurveda therapy:

Oda KT / regulatory body for the profession of Ayurveda therapists