The AVP Research Foundation was established in 2003 as a research department under The Ayurvedic Trust and became an independent not-for-profit research institution registered under section 25 of The Companies Act, 1956 in 2012. The foundation is known for its excellence in clinical research on Ayurvedic medicines, initiatives on practice based evidence, developing research and education oriented software for Ayurvedic fraternity and its journal indexing service in Ayurveda. The department of scientific and industrial research, Government of India has recognised the institution as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
History
The AVP Research Foundation was established in 2003 as AVT Institute for Advanced Research under The Ayurvedic Trust to administer the research initiatives of the trust and Arya Vaidya Pharmacy|The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy Ltd. The trust in itself had pioneered in research on arthritis right from 1980s' and later the multifaceted trust established AVTAR to concentrate on research in Ayurveda. The department in recent times became an independent institution focusing on research and education in Ayurveda. The institution is steered by a research advisory board and function under a Director & Chief Scientific Officer appointed by the Board of Directors and the Governing Council.
Activities
Research
The foundation is engaged in basic and clinical research in Ayurveda, the clinical trial conducted at The Ayurvedic Trust in collaboration with UCLA Medical School on rheumatoid arthritis to see which works better for rheumatoid arthritis, Ayurveda or the Western drug methotrexate was pronounced as a blue print on how clinical research can be done in complementary and alternative medicine by Edzard Ernst. The Foundation is also engaged in research to establish evidence from on going clinical practices to substantiate the practice of Ayurveda by generating evidence on efficacy through practice-based evidence. It is also involved in basic research to elucidate the probably biochemistry behind classical Ayurvedic medicine practised in India for quite long period.
Education
AVP Research Foundation is engaged in education by providing ancillary courses on Ayurveda for students in Ayurveda from India and abroad.
Informatics
The Foundation has an informatics department which has developed unique software and programs that assist researchers and practitioners in Ayurveda to generate and document their routine clinical practise.
Journals
AVP Research Foundation manages largest number of scientific communications in Ayurveda with two research journals, Ancient Science of Life launched in 1981, which is now the largest PubMed indexed journal on Ayurveda and the first speciality research journal in Ayurveda titled ASL-Musculoskeletal Diseases published in alliance with Medknow Publications.
Conferences
AVP Research Foundation organises regular conferences, workshops and Continuing Medical Education programs in the field of Ayurveda. Insight Ayurveda is biennial conference on Ayurveda hosted by AVP Research Foundation.
Inter-disciplinary Research
Inter-disciplinary research bridging Ayurveda with modern sciences to elucidate the biochemistry behind the inherent theories in Ayurveda is also attempted at AVP Research Foundation.
Support for open access
The foundation supports open access of research and all the journals published from the institution are open to access free online. The database developed by the foundation attempts to make the data generated out of research in Ayurveda is available to larger circle of stakeholders. The institutions also involves in pursuing more journals to come forward to be open access. The institution also have made the classical texts of Ayurveda available in digital format which is also free to access.
