Evidence Based Traditional Medicine: For Whom and to What End? M aarten Bode University of Amsterdam Unnikrishnan PayyaPPalliMana United Nations University-Institute of Advanced Studies, Yokohama Abstract Like any form of knowledge traditional medicine (TRM) is constantly as- serted, debated, reformulated and rearticulated. Scientiic evidence is increas- ingly becoming a challenge for the integration of traditional medicine (TRM) in health care. At the same time even proof for the efectiveness of the well- established medicines of India and China is meager. One of the reasons for this state of afairs is that the project of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) and its epitome the Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) are biomedically centred and therefore tied up with power relations. Whole Systems Research and a participatory approach to medical efectiveness are suggested as methodologies for (im-)proving the quality of TRM. After all, seen from the perspective of patients and their social network the efectiveness of medical treatments is a lo- cal and private phenomenon. Traditional medicines and treatments are actively used for generations. Their evaluation therefore need not begin in state of the art research laboratories but can be initiated from the clinical side. To provide health security to people with limited inancial means we need innovative and transdisciplinary perspectives on medical eicacy. For our critical discussion on the worth of TRM India and Ayurveda provide the context. Key words Evidence Based Medicine, Traditional Medicine, Ayurveda, India, World Health Organization, placebo, eicacy, in situ efectiveness, Whole Systems eJournal of Indian Medicine Volume 6 (2013), 1–20