Ayush Medicines: The Government has implemented a series of regulatory, research-oriented, and international initiatives to ensure the quality production, distribution, and global recognition of Ayush medicines, informed Union Minister of State (I/C) for the Ministry of Ayush, Shri Prataprao Jadhav in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
Quality Production & Distribution
Regulatory Oversight: Ayush drugs are regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, with specific provisions for Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homoeopathy drugs. Manufacturers must comply with licensing, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and quality standards listed in official pharmacopoeias.
Drug Testing: Rules 160 A to J under the Drugs Rules, 1945 regulate drug testing labs for identity, purity, and quality of Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani drugs.
Quality Standards: The Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) prescribes official standards for Ayush drugs, ensuring mandatory quality control across the country.
Adverse Drug Monitoring: Pharmacovigilance centres across India monitor adverse reactions and report them to state authorities.
Infrastructure Boost: The Ayush Oushadhi Gunavatta evam Uttpadan Samvardhan Yojana (AOGUSY) (2021–2026) is upgrading Ayush pharmacies and drug labs for better standards.
Ayush Vertical in CDSCO: A dedicated vertical within the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) ensures the safety and quality of Ayush drugs and also issues WHO-CoPP certificates.
Quality Certification: The Quality Council of India (QCI) provides Ayush mark certification through third-party quality evaluation.
Research & Innovation
AYURGYAN Scheme: Launched in 2021, this scheme supports capacity building, research & innovation, and Ayurveda biology integrated health research through financial aid to eligible institutions.
Research Councils: Apex councils including CCRAS, CCRUM, CCRH, CCRS, and CCRYN conduct extensive research on medicinal plants, drug standardization, pharmacology, clinical trials, tribal healthcare, and literary documentation.
IEC Campaigns: The Ministry runs public outreach initiatives including Arogya fairs, Yoga festivals, Ayurveda Parvs, and multi-media campaigns to promote awareness.
Global Promotion
International MoUs: India has signed 25 country-level MoUs and 15 academic MoUs for setting up Ayush Chairs in foreign nations, along with 51 institutional MoUs for collaborative research.
Global Outreach: 43 Ayush Information Cells have been set up in 39 countries to disseminate information on Indian traditional medicine.
Scholarships for Foreign Students: International fellowships are offered to students for studying Ayush in Indian institutions.
WHO Engagement: The Ministry has contributed to the inclusion of ‘Traditional Medicine’ in ICD-10 and ICD-11 and has supported the establishment of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre.
These comprehensive measures, according to the Minister, aim to mainstream Ayush systems nationally and globally with scientific backing and standardization.
