Choosing an Ayurvedic Practitioner

The short version

In many countries anyone can use the title "Ayurvedic practitioner." Qualifications, titles and legal protections differ by country and, in the US, by state. There is no single list of safe practitioners, and this site does not list or recommend individual practitioners. This page explains how to check, using only regulator or professional-body statements we could read. See also choosing a qualified practitioner.

Regulation and training by place

United States. NCCIH says there is no significant regulation of Ayurvedic practice or education in the US, and no state requires an Ayurvedic practitioner to have a license. [1] More generally, there is no standardized national system for credentialing complementary health practitioners; states decide. [2] NCCIH explains that in the US government agencies grant and monitor licenses, while professional organizations certify practitioners, [3] and that being licensed or certified is not always a guarantee of being qualified. [4]

The National Ayurvedic Medical Association Certification Board (NAMACB), a US professional certification body, says certification means a candidate completed an accredited course of study and passed an exam. [5] It lists tiers: Ayurvedic Health Counselor (600+ hours of qualifying US-based education, focused on diet and lifestyle) and an Ayurvedic Practitioner tier (1,500-2,500 hours), with a higher level beyond that. [6] [7] Certification by a professional body is not a state license and does not give legal authority to diagnose or treat.

Australia. An SBS News report says only traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, among traditional medicine fields including Ayurveda, are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. [8] That indicates Ayurveda is not nationally registered there. Check Ahpra directly for the current position.

India. India's National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) publishes regulations for the Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) program. [9] We did not read the registration requirements for practicing, so confirm what a practitioner's degree and registration mean with the relevant Indian authority.

United Kingdom and other countries. We could not read a current regulator statement for the UK or other countries this session, so we make no claim. Look for the national health regulator's page.

What a good first appointment looks like

Ask about:

1. Training: what program, how many hours, and when, and whether it is accredited. Ask for the certifying body and look it up yourself.
2. Legal status: whether they hold any government license (for example as a nurse or physician) in addition to Ayurvedic training. Do not assume they do.
3. Scope: what they will and will not diagnose or treat, and how they work with your doctor.
4. Products: whether they sell products, where products are made, and whether batch testing for lead, mercury and arsenic is available. See heavy metals and product quality.
5. Medicines: whether they will ask for your full medicine and supplement list. See questions to ask before a session.

Warning signs

• Promises to cure serious illness or advice to stop prescribed medicine.
• Pressure to buy expensive supplements or "cleanse" programs.
• Refusal to name ingredients or give batch tests.
• Diagnosis from a questionnaire alone with no questions about your medical history.

NCCIH advises not using Ayurvedic medicine to postpone seeing a conventional health care provider about a medical problem. [10] Tell all your providers what you use. For fainting, severe pain, chest pain, bleeding or poisoning, seek emergency care first.

Who should see a physician first

Anyone with new, severe or worsening symptoms, a chronic condition, pregnancy, or who takes prescription medicines. See coordinating complementary and medical care.

Related pages

• Credentials, licensing and scope of practice
• Reporting adverse events from therapies
• What is Ayurveda