Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 16: It is official that certain Ayurvedic medicines do not require analytic test for establishing quantity of minerals and metals in these formulations.
In reference to the news items `14 ISM drugs found toxic with high quantity of Pb, Hg, As’, published in May 16 issue of this newpaper, the office of Deputy Directorate of Indian System of Medicine, Jammu, has said that mineral and metals form an integral part of specific category of the Ayurvedic medicines, which do not require analytic tests.
Quoting an official communiqué of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of AYUSH, the ISM office said that these tests are not required for Rasaaushadhies (specific category of Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani formulations) as minerals and metals are ingredients of such type of formulations and the heavy metals are in-built in these ingredients.
“The ISM Department follows all the norms and procedures, prescribed by J&K Government and Government of India in every purchase of medicines. Every medicine is purchased through the provision of Drug and Cosmetic Act 1940 and Rules amended there. Quality and authenticity of the Ayurvedic medicines is checked on the basis of standard of identity, purity and strength prescribed in the Pharmacopoeia. For this purpose Central Government has set up Pharmacopoeia laboratory of Indian medicines in Ghaziabad and Uttar Pradesh as an appellate Laboratory,” says the clarification.
The clarification further explains that there is provision, if any medicine is found sub-standard, the department will take action according to law and blacklist the form and exchange the medicines.
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