NEW DELHI: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar and the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), an apex research institute under the AYUSH ministry, have undertaken an essential study on reducing the over usage of modern medicines.
The institutes have signed an MoU. However, both have refused to share the content details to a RTI query. Last month, AIIMS Bhubaneswar had tweeted that they have inked an MoU with CCRH to integrate homoeopathy into the existing healthcare system. “It will provide a productive synergy for cooperation in research and education. Aims to reduce the over usage of modern medicines drugs,” the institute tweeted.
But when RTI activist and Kannur-based ophthalmologist Dr K V Babu asked for copies of all the communications between the two top institutions and the file notings, both AIIMS- Bhubaneswar and CCRH refused to do so. CCRH undertakes, coordinates, develops, disseminates and promotes scientific research in homoeopathy. Both the institutes said the information is exempted under Sections 8(1)(d), 8(1)(e) and 8 (1)(j) of the RTI Act, 2005.
As per Section 8, “exemption from disclosure of information -- notwithstanding anything contained in this Act-- there shall be no obligation to give any citizen (d) information including commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property, the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a third party, unless the competent authority is satisfied that larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information.”
Babu told this paper, “When a tertiary care centre like AIIMS is conducting a study to reduce the over usage of modern medicine, the study should be transparent, which is the hallmark of scientific medicine.”