When we say that medical science has advanced a lot, it means we are referring to the present scenario and to the causes which led to these advancements. There are many colleges and institutes which educate physicians and other health care professionals on the up-to-date findings. A number of new blood banks have popped up. Today we have advanced in bringing out new machinery and resources with which a great number of pills, capsules can be made in a go. Injections today can be sterilized. In a developing country like India, life expectancy rate has increased from 30% to more than 60 % in the past 50 years. This proves that India is a medically advancing. Pharmaceutical industry is flourishing. AHP was formed in 1995. As the name suggests, American Herbal Pharmacopoeia(AHP) promotes the use of herbal medicines and ensures the maximum degree of safety and efficacy. Information relative to their safe clinical use, toxicology, interactions with conventional drugs, etc., is specially important to safeguard the public health. The basis of AHP is herbal medicines, which have a rich history in the ancient medical writings.

For the past 3 years, AHP has been working on the development of 3 textbooks which stress on the quality control of herbal products. AHP has also done contract work for organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Office of Dietary Supplements at the national institutes of Health (NIH).

We here also refer to the medical advancements which are yet to take place. We often here people saying that we have achieved great success on the medical grounds. The body of discussion thus becomes, 'how have we achieved this success' and on 'what grounds'.

HOW WE ADVANCED MEDICALLY
It would become a little too difficult to pen down the chronicle, as to when did we begin 'advancing' in the field of medical sciences. Firstly because medical advancements are on a  hype right from the early ages, when it was not feasible to keep records. And also because there are so many areas of medical advancements that a generic time period of advancement can not be alloted to any. Ayurveda originated over 2000 years ago in South Asia and treats the root of the problem. This practice flourished during 520 BC and the practitioners used medicines made up of mercuric and sulphur. During 375-415 AD, Ayurveda became part of the mainstream Indian medical techniques, and continued to be so till a greater period of time. Ayurveda has now become an accepted medical system of health care like other medical systems existing in India.

Ancient Egyptian Medicine refers to the practices of healing from as early as 3300 BC. It was  the then advanced medical study. Egyptians were considered the most skilled medical men of the times. And this can be rightly judged by there classic mummification process.  Traditional Chinese medicine, popularly known as TCM has a history which speaks for it.  TCM has strengthen its ties in China. So much so that it is now taught in almost all medical schools in China, most of Asia and North America.

However, allopathic medicines were revolutionized in the 19th century completely. So much so that the Oxford English Dictionary terms it as ”the present prevailing system of medicine”. Allopathic medicine is the treatment of diseases using conventional medical therapies. Allopathic treatment proves to be a boon in emergency situations. It would not be wrong to say that the 21st century has been dominated by allopathy. Antibiotics became famous for killing infections the bacterias in the early 21st century.

Generally, reduction in infant and maternal mortality rate and increase in life expectancy are cited as achievements of allopathy. However, for many conditions allopathy has led to improvement in health and delay in disease progression. For most conditions, allopathy can relieve the symptoms and also improve the quality of life. Indeed, the perception has altered so much that only with the exception of diseases such as cancer and AIDS,  we have won victory over all other deadly diseases. Medical advancements have taken place in the fatal diseases like Tuberculosis as well.  Tuberculosis can be cured with Isoniazid (INH), one of the most common drugs used for curing TB. The emphasis changed from keeping people alive to keeping them fit and healthy. There also are multivitamin tablets that keeps you energized and rejuvenated. Painkillers proves highly beneficial in the hour of the need.

GROUNDS OF MEDICAL ADVANCEMENT
In 1900’s, man discovered first electrocardiograph machine. In 1920’s , the first modern respirator came into being. Where 1940’s records the first kidney dialysis machine, in 1950's  the first human kidney transplant took place. Similarly inventions like CT scan, soft contact lenses and implant first surgery, marked the decade of 1970's.  So far, so good.

We hail of advancing in every possible manner and yet there is much to achieve. It would not be wrong to say that we are so near, yet so far. Where treatment of cancer is achievable (except in the extreme stages), prevention of cancer is certainly a gray area. Likewise, we are yet to find a cure for HIV. Nutritional deficiency is a common disease, with its not-so-common   treatment application.

The pace of medical advancements is speeding up as diagnostic and treatment options are being improved and expanded for a range of diseases. Earlier, the grounds of medical advancement was wars, which were conducted on the massive scale. Wars have, unintentionally proved crucial for the health care professionals. It may sound surprising that the romans made use of the painkillers made from poppies and morphine. Medical advancements in the present sketch are more or less also based on wars. Modern warfare has negatively affected the life and health of people.

Over the years, many diseases that were not so prevalent earlier have been causing a lot of panic, sometimes leading to death. This is said to be related to the drastic changes in modern life. Now there have come up varied panel of doctors in almost every big hospital. Each of them has their own area of specialization. There never existed so many heads of different doctors naming Anesthetist, cardiologist, dentist, dermatologist, gynecologist, nephrologist, neurologist, orthopedist, pediatrician, psychiatrist, radiologists, surgeon, urologist, haematologist and many others. Earlier there used to be only one term for the doctors, which has now segregated into many. Amazing instruments have also added a lot of contribution to make diagnosis and treatment easier and quicker. Thousands of lives are saved because of timely diagnosis of the disease. Where microscope was first made in 1683, the birth of X-ray took place in late 1800's. A British scientist marveled everyone by the discovery of a computerized Tomography (CT) scanner in 1972 and Raymond Damadian helped the mankind by producing the first MRI scan in 1977. Medical advancements continue to happen. With the help of Prosthetic limbs, introduced by a French surgeon Ambrose Pare, people can walk as normally as others. The famous Indian dancer Sudha Chandran used to perform Bharatnatyam (a classical dance) on an artificial leg!

However, there are yet many areas of medical development. We have advanced, but have not achieved success. There is a long way to travel.