The Hindu : U.K.'s move threatens ayurveda industry

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 31, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

U.K.'s move threatens ayurveda industry

By T.Ramavarman

THRISSUR JULY 30. The move of the U.K. Government to include ayurveda among the list of `herbal remedies' will seriously cripple the ayurvedic medicine manufacturing industry in the country which has set an export target of Rs. 3000 crores this year. What has become more disturbing to the industry in which thousands of people are employed is that the Centre has not done anything to persuade the British authorities to amend the move even though the deadline set for making submissions on the issue will be over on July 31. According to the sources, once the move becomes a decision, the export of ayurvedic formulations to the U.K. would become an extremely complex ordeal. Each medicine will then require special sanction for sale in the U.K. and knowing the strict regimen for clearing medicines for sales there, nearly 95 per cent of ayurvedic medicines are unlikely to pass export tests.

The decision will practically ban the practice of ayurveda in the U.K. If restrictions on ayurveda become effective, many European countries may follow suit. The U.S. may also take a similar stand, which means the export of ayurvedic medicines may become negligible in the future.The country now exports ayurvedic medicines worth about Rs. 350 crores and the lion's share goes to the European Union nations.The sources said the British Medicinal Control Agency (MCA) has prepared a guideline titled `traditional ethnic medicines, public health and compliance with medicines law'. The document is supposed to be useful for the public wishing to find out more about the quality and safety issues related to traditional ethnic medicine. Some individuals and firms reportedly launched the process of preparing such a document in the wake of the complaints of malpractices. The document lists ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine as `ethnic medicines' .

However, powerful lobbying by supporters of the Chinese traditional medicine with the active support of the Chinese Government has successfully persuaded the British authorities to include many of their medicines in the approved list. But even though the document has been released more than an year ago, and the British authorities had extended the deadline for making submissions, there was practically no effort from the Indian side to project its ancient and time-tested ayurvedic health care system, despite the fact that even agencies such as the WHO have approved it. Emphasising that ayurveda cannot be grouped together with herbal remedies, the sources said ayurvedic medicines qualified to be medicinal products. Ayurveda has developed a unique methodology to detoxify not only toxic herbs, but also a number of minerals and even venom.

Through ages Ayurveda has achieved a unique position among similar traditional medical system, because of the wide range of products and the numerous ingredients used in these medicines. It has a highly evolved diagnostic and treatment system. The diagnosis and treatment is done after a complete analysis of the disease in terms of aetiology, prodromal symptoms, symptoms, pathogenesis and prognosis.Ayurveda also has evolved its own style of describing human anatomy, physiology, pathology, practice of medicines and pharmacology. It has eight branches of treatment segregated using its own scientific principles and philosophy. The sources also recalled that the Centre had formulated specific guidelines for ayurvedic education and for awarding degrees at various levels in this discipline. According to the supporters of the ayurveda, the herbal medicines mainly rely on the nutritive values of the herbs and they do not have concept of the genesis of the disease of its own.

In such a context, they wanted the Central Health Ministry to persuade the U.K. authorities to drop the proposed move and give this ancient Indian health care system a separate hearing. The sources said the Indian Government should first of all take steps to persuade the U.K. authorities to extend the deadline set for making submissions on ethnic medicines.

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