As the U.S. member body to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) seeks comments by November 15 on a draft proposal submitted by BIS, the ISO member for India, for a new ISO technical committee (TC) on Ayurveda and yoga.
“Ayurveda,” a Sanskrit word meaning the "science of life" or "knowledge of life,” is an ancient Indian medical system that incorporates the concepts of health and disease, and aims at achieving homeostasis of the body, mind, and spirit, known as the “holistic” approach. Yoga, also an ancient practice, is recognized for disease prevention, health promotion, and management of many lifestyle-related disorders.
According to the proposal, given a worldwide resurgence of interest in Ayurveda and yoga, particularly with respect to the prevention and management of chronic and non-communicable diseases, the development of international standards can help to assure the quality of related products and services.
To that end, the proposal asserts that, due to inadequate standardization, products and services related to Ayurveda and yoga may have significant quality variations. “Adulteration, counterfeit products, and improperly trained practitioners pose a threat to the reputation and integrity of these ancient practices. To mitigate these issues, it is imperative to have international standards that ensure the authenticity, safety, and efficacy of Ayurvedic and yoga offerings.”
The draft proposal for a new ISO TC on Ayurveda and yoga has the following scope statement:
Standardization in the field of Ayurveda and Yoga. Both traditional and modern aspects of products and services of these systems are covered. The committee will focus on following fields including but not limited to terminology; quality and safety of ingredients, extracts, finished products, Ayurveda based dietary supplements and nutraceuticals, Ayurveda pharmaceutical equipment, and procedures; health and wellness service requirements; health assessment tools/equipment; rejuvenative procedures and tools/equipment/devices; yoga accessories, yoga props and common yoga protocol practices.
Standardization work within the scopes of the following committees is excluded:
Read the proposal and submit comments to Steven Cornish, ANSI senior director of international policy and strategy, at [email protected] by close of business on Friday, November 15. All input that ANSI receives will be used to develop a recommended ANSI position and comments that will be sent to the ANSI ISO Council for approval before submittal to ISO by the January 1, 2025, voting deadline.