Dept of Commerce with Ayush

Centre engages Dept of Commerce with Ayush ministry to step up export of Ayush drugs

Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai Wednesday, October 05, 2016, 08:00 Hrs  [IST] PharmaBizz.com

With the intention of increasing the credibility of Ayush medicines in the domestic and foreign markets, and to accelerate the export, government of India is devising new schemes by engaging Department of Commerce with the Ministry of Ayush.
 
As part of the initiative, steps would be taken to promote and get recognized the ayurvedic pharmacopoeia in major markets besides promoting WHO certification for manufacturing facilities. Similarly, the Department of Commerce will strive to simplify the procedures for revalidation of monograph by countries abroad.

To deliberate on the scheme, the joint secretary of the Department of Commerce, Sudhanshu Pandey, called a meeting of all stakeholders of the Ayush industry on September 27 in New Delhi and discussed various issues in the medicine manufacturing industry and allied sectors which pose detrimental to export business. It is learnt that the commerce ministry is directed by the Union government to take steps for exporting Ayurvedic formulations to foreign countries. Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil) will be the agency to provide all technical supports to the exporters.

Participating in the meeting, on behalf of the ayurvedic drug manufacturers in Kerala, Dr. S.G. Ramesh Warrier, president of AMMOI, highlighted the point that getting the API monographs recognized by as many importing countries as possible would prove to be an important step in enabling ayurvedic medicines get registered in such countries. He said Indian pharmacopoeia has included about 100 ayurvedic herbs in its latest edition.  

According to Dr. Warrier, getting WHO certification for manufacturers will, indeed, improve the global acceptance of Ayurveda medicines. However, government  should consider extending financial support to enable as many units as possible to seek WHO certification. He further pointed out that the scope of the Market Access Incentive (MAI) under the Export Promotion Scheme should be widened to include ayurvedic medicines. 

Giving emphasis to classical formulations in which the Kerala manufacturers concentrate on, the president of AMMOI, said for export purpose, a list of products with known export potential should be prepared on the basis of discussions between the major stake holders. In doing so, priority should be given to finished products rather than raw herbs and intermediates.

He wanted the government to devise a mechanism of engaging the regulators of potential importing countries in discussions to convince them that pure herbal medicines should not be treated on the same plane as synthetic chemical drugs while formulating standard parameters for product registration.