New Delhi, June 14 -- Patients undergoing Siddha therapies such as Pugai (fumigation) and Poṭi Timirtal (powder rubbing) will now be subject to pre-treatment screening, written informed consent and adverse-event reporting under new standards issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), bringing structured safety and documentation protocols to traditional treatments.

While the state's apex standards body views this uniform code as a critical step toward consumer safety, the new mandates have triggered a divide among traditional practitioners over adopting rigid, allopathic-style reporting rules.

The BIS has issued detailed codes of practice for the two Siddha therapies, introducing requirements for patient assessment, treatment ...