November 7, 2025
An Open Letter Responding to the “Safeguarding the Sovereignty of Ayurveda” Petition From the Board of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA)
The National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA), founded in 1998, is committed to advancing Ayurveda in the United States through rigorous education, professional standards, and ethical practice. We have reviewed a recently circulated petition titled “Safeguarding the Sovereignty of Ayurveda” and feel compelled to clarify its misconceptions for professionals, students, and the wider public.
While the petition purports to protect Ayurveda, it is based on misleading information, misconceptions and misrepresentations about NAMA’s role, U.S.-based credentialing, and professional practice. The following information corrects the record on claims made in the petition:
1. Claim: NAMA misleads by offering titles such as ‘US-Certified Ayurvedic Vaidya’ and ‘Ayurveda Doctor.’
Response: The National Ayurvedic Medical Association Certification Board (NAMACB) is an autonomous entity of NAMA, and administers certification exams and ongoing continuing education activities for professionals looking to practice Ayurveda in the USA. The NAMACB’s credentialing titles are transparent, voluntary, and clearly delineated as professional certifications for U.S.-based practice. They do not claim governmental recognition in India or the USA, and all materials explicitly communicate the scope and limitations of these certifications. These credentials exist to provide structure, education, and accountability for practitioners in the USA, where no government-recognized licensing for Ayurveda exists. In addition, the titles above (“US-Certified Ayurvedic Vaidya” and “Ayurveda Doctor”) are not given by NAMA. There has been much misinformation on this matter, so please refer to this page to see which professional levels are offered in the USA and the accurate titles granted for new entrants to the field in the USA. NAMA honors professional autonomy. Participation in our community is optional — membership is 100% voluntary.
2. Claim: U.S. courses have poor curriculum, minimal clinical training, and exploit India-trained graduates.
Response: In the USA, the Ayurvedic Accreditation Commission is a private non-profit organization that accredits Ayurveda programs in the USA, using standards developed with input from India-trained and USA-trained professionals and faculty over many years, reflecting both classical training and USA professional standards. The programs are designed to ensure competency, ethical practice, and client safety. These program standards have evolved through years of collaboration among educators and practitioners while supporting the growth of the profession in this country. NAMA does not claim to provide legal practice rights outside the USA, nor does it exploit graduates — participation is voluntary, and all students are fully informed of the purpose, content, and limitations of the programs. Please also note that Vaidyas trained in India have been involved with NAMA from the start, and the makeup of the NAMA Board of Directors, NAMA Certification Board, and certification and membership bases are composed of numerous Vaidyas trained in India who later emigrated to the USA. Two of our last three presidents are BAMS-degree holders from India. Any claim that NAMA does not have the best interests of India-trained graduates in mind is false and deceitful.
3. Claim: NAMA threatens to de-list practitioners who do not re-qualify through exams.
Response: Credential maintenance is standard practice across healthcare professions globally. Continuing education and renewal of certifications ensure that practitioners maintain competency and remain up to date with evolving standards. Professionals who do not keep up with continuing education requirements will not be eligible for certification or professional membership. This is not a threat; it is a professional safeguard, consistent with norms in other medical and complementary disciplines.
4. Claim: NAMA creates confusion and undermines the authenticity of Ayurveda.
Response: The real source of confusion arises when organizations outside the USA assume their regulatory frameworks automatically apply here. NAMACB’s certifications exist precisely to protect both the public and practitioners. Far from undermining Ayurveda, NAMA legitimally strengthens professional standards in a country where no formal governmental oversight exists for the field of Ayurveda.
In addition, the NAMACB certification process recognizes and embraces the diversity of training, religious, and cultural backgrounds, while holding everyone to consistent professional standards of competency, ethics, code of conduct, and continuing education.
5. Claim: NAMA commercially exploits India’s Ayurvedic heritage.
Response: NAMA is a nonprofit professional association whose members dedicate much of their lives to Ayurveda and its practice, in a country where Ayurveda is in its beginning stages. Association revenue supports the work of establishing Ayurveda as a respected healthcare profession in the USA — a standard practice in professional associations worldwide. NAMA does not “sell” legitimacy; it provides structured support and certification within a transparent framework, emphasizing professional integrity, not profit.
6. Claim: NAMA threatens cultural sovereignty and the credibility of Ayurveda globally.
Response: Cultural sovereignty and authenticity are preserved by practitioners committed to ethics, standards, and ongoing education — exactly what NAMA promotes. Criticizing the organization for providing professional frameworks for USA practice misrepresents both the intentions and outcomes of its work. NAMA’s goal is to honor the tradition so widely practiced in India while adapting responsibly to its local regulatory and social context, not to co-opt or “auction” it.
7. NAMA’s engagement with the petition authors
Over the past months, NAMA representatives have engaged in multiple attempts at constructive dialogue with the assumed petition organizers. Unfortunately, the same misrepresentations continue to circulate despite these efforts. While we value discussion and camaraderie in the field, misinformation presented as fact cannot be left unaddressed. This open letter clarifies NAMA’s position and reaffirms our standards for the Ayurvedic profession.
In Summary
The National Ayurvedic Medical Association stands firmly for professional Ayurveda practice in the USA that is:
Authentic and rooted in classical principles
Adapted responsibly for the U.S. regulatory and ethical context
Supported by rigorous training, credentialing, and ongoing professional development
Practiced by a diverse group of individuals with varying racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds
Petitions based on misunderstandings and inaccurate misleading information cannot substitute for structure, accountability, and evidence-informed practice, and only serve to politicize the field of Ayurveda. We invite all practitioners — whether trained in the USA or India — to participate in strengthening Ayurveda through education, ethics, and collaboration, rather than political claims.
Ayurveda’s credibility and future in the USA are best preserved through helping Ayurveda professionals help the American public and healthcare fields with professionalism and integrity — not through slogans, petitions, or mischaracterizations.
Thank you for your time.
The NAMA Team