From tradition to innovation: Strategic framework for patenting Ayurveda innovations

Traditional Medicine (TM) plays a vital role in global health systems. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes that a significant proportion of the world’s population relies on traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine for primary health care, prevention, and well-being. WHO also acknowledges its important contribution to universal health coverage, people-centered care, and resilient health systems worldwide. Within this global context, Ayurveda stands as one of the oldest, continuously practiced and codified systems of TM, deeply embedded in India’s cultural, scientific, and intellectual heritage. In recent decades, the growing global demand for holistic and preventive healthcare has renewed interest in Ayurveda products, therapies, and technologies. Simultaneously, the expansion of Intellectual Property (IP) rights regimes has generated complex debates regarding the patentability of Traditional Knowledge (TK)-based innovations. While patent systems are designed to incentivize novelty and inventive activity, they often struggle to accommodate knowledge systems that are collective, historically documented, and publicly accessible. This review critically analyzes the patentability landscape of Ayurveda innovations by examining the legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks governing IP protection. It evaluates recent policy developments, particularly India’s Guidelines for Examination for Ayush Related Inventions , identifies key commercialization barriers, and proposes future pathways for innovation-driven IP protection through scientific validation, value addition, interdisciplinary research, and a stronger innovation ecosystem. The analysis highlights that Ayurveda has considerable potential to generate globally competitive patentable innovations when supported by robust scientific evidence, enabling policies, and responsible commercialization, while preserving its TK and foundational principles.