NEW DELHI, Feb 19:
With concerns being expressed over standard of AYUSH medicines, the Centre today asked states to equip their regulatory framework and infrastructure to meet the quality requirements prescribed by law.
“We are very much concerned about the weak control and sale of sub-standard and spurious AYUSH medicines. In every Parliament session, we get a lot of questions on sub-standard drugs and quality,” Union Minister of State for AYUSH, Shripad Naik said.
Particularly, complaints about misleading advertisements and tall claims of AYUSH medicines have been brought to “our notice by Ministries of Consumer Affairs and Information and Broadcasting and Drug Controller General,” he said addressing a conference on Ayush here.
“Quality control of AYUSH drugs is statutory requirement in accordance to the quality requirement in provisions of Drug and Cognitive Act. Unfortunately, on this front, focussed efforts have not been made in the enforcement mechanism by states to ensure manufacturing and sale of quality-assured medicines,” he said.
The AYUSH Minister rued that several states do not send Action Taken Report despite several advisories and directives.
“I call upon all state authorities to equip their regulatory framework and add up their infrastructure facilities and technical manpower,” Naik said.
Noting that there are several financial constraints being faced by the states in building up infrastructure, he suggested that they can avail funds under National AYUSH Mission for the facilities.
Naik said India was also collaborating with WHO, and the US for research to position AYUSH medicines globally.
The Union Cabinet has approved the AYUSH ministry’s proposal to collaborate with World Health Organisation.
“With this development, we will start working closely with WHO which will help in global positioning of AYUSH medicines,” the Minister said.
India was also looking to develop a structural dialogue with the US for bilateral cooperation in research and capacity building in Ayush.
“A team of US scientists from National Cancer Institute, senior officers of US Health Department are meeting Indian scientists on March 3 and 4. We are committed to pushing ahead with our commitment for collaborative research in AYUSH with the US,” he said, hoping for a favourable outcome.
Jitendra Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry, said unlike other drugs, it was difficult to push AYUSH medicines into the international market because of regulatory framework.
Sharma also said that agencies looking after regulatory work are under-staffed. (PTI)
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