New Delhi: The government has strengthened quality assurance, regulatory compliance of Ayush drugs, including those sold on e commerce platforms through several regulatory measures and schemes, an official statement said on Tuesday.
The Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Drugs Rules, 1945 provide exclusive regulatory provisions for Ayurvedic, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, Unani and Homoeopathy drugs and require manufacturers to meet licensing conditions to manufacture for sale, MoS Ayush Prataprao Jadhav said in Rajya Sabha.
Drug Inspectors of states or UTs collect medicine samples regularly from manufacturing firms or retail shops within their jurisdiction and send them to Drug Testing Laboratory for quality testing.
Samples found falling short of standard quality, will lead to legal actions as per Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules made thereunder.
An Ayush vertical has been created in the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to strengthen regulatory measures ensuring safety and quality of Ayush drugs.
A Quality Certifications Scheme by the Quality Council of India grants Ayush Standard and Ayush Premium marks after third party evaluation, the statement noted.
The Ministry of Ayush implements a Central Sector Scheme namely, Ayush Oushadhi Gunavatta Evam Uttpadan Samvardhan Yojana (AOGUSY) to promote standardization, quality manufacturing, analytical testing, strengthen regulatory frameworks, safety monitoring and surveillance of misleading advertisements.
It supports manufacturers and MSMEs to upgrade pharmacies and drug testing laboratories toward WHO GMP and NABL standards.
The Ministry has launched the Ayush Suraksha Portal for real-time reporting and monitoring of misleading advertisements and suspected adverse drug reactions.
All India Institute of Ayurveda, has been designated as the nodal officer for issuing notices to digital intermediaries in respect of misleading advertisements relating to Ayush drugs.
E-commerce platforms have been advised to facilitate the sale of Ayush drugs only after the user uploads a valid prescription issued by a registered Ayurveda, Siddha or Unani medical practitioner, as applicable.
Further, all Research Councils and National Institutes under the ministry disseminate evidence-based information on Ayush products and systems through Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities, publications, journals, outreach programmes, electronic and print media, and digital platforms.
(IANS)
