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Indian, European Ayurveda experts meet in Delhi

          New Delhi: India has expressed its concerns about European Union's directive on herbal medicinal products. A European Commission expert delegation on pharma and biotechnology, currently on a visit to India called on Anita Das, Secretary, AYUSH today and had detailed discussions with Indian experts. They discussed regulation of teaching, practice and quality control of Ayurvedic products. The Indian side while appreciating European Union's public health concerns on safety and quality control of herbal medicinal products impressed upon the European Union expert team that the condition of 15-year usage in Europe and quantitative determination of all the ingredients in any herbal formulation pose technical barriers to the trade of Ayurveda products in European Union. A member of the delegation, Dr. Konstantin Keller, Chairman of the Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC), European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and Department for International Pharmaceutical Affairs, Federal Ministry of Health, Germany mentioned that any manufacturing unit can file a dossier of their products having less than 15 years of documented usage in any of the European Union countries and such a product can be considered for market authorization. Dr. Keller also invited Indian scientists and experts in Ayurvedic drugs to participate in the process of development of monographs on medicinal plants being prepared by EMEA. Other members of the delegation are Mr. Rul Santos Ivo, Policy Officer-Administrator, Pharmaceuticals Unit, European Commission and Mr. Anthony Humphreys, Head of the Regulatory Affairs and Organisational Support Sector, EMEA.

         The Indian side emphasized that Ayurveda is a holistic health science and its teaching, practice and products are properly regulated in India and European concerns relating to safety and quality control are being addressed by mandatory testing for heavy metals/microbial load/ pesticide residue and institution of export inspection mechanism. Earlier the members of the Commission visited Maharishi Ayurved manufacturing unit in Noida on 15th, Regional Research Laboratory, CSIR, Jammu on 16th and Arya Vaidyasala, Kottakal on 17th January, 2007 to get first hand experience of standardization and quality control work being done on Ayurveda products and authentic Ayurvedic treatment for chronic disease conditions. The European team would be presenting their report to the India- EU Joint Working Group on Pharma and Biotechnology which is scheduled to meet in New Delhi in the first quarter of 2007.
- January 18, 2007