GLOBAL ACCEPTANCE OF OUR TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL PRODUCTS WOULD BE POSSIBLE ONLY ON THE BASIS OF EVIDENCE OF SAFETY, RELIABILITY AND QUALITY – SHRI SHEKHAWAT

INDIA HAS RECENTLY COMPILED A TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE DIGITAL LIBRARY CONSISTING OF 36,000 FORMULATIONS FROM AYURVEDA IN A PATENT COMPATIBLE FORM - SMT. SUSHMA SWARAJ

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Vice President of India, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat said that global acceptance of our traditional medicinal products would be possible only on the basis of evidence of safety, reliability and quality. But for this, necessary measures of quality control and standardization of raw materials and finished products have to be put into place. Inaugurating the two-day SAARC Health Ministers Conference in New Delhi today he said that the reservoir of traditional knowledge, which has been in public domain for centuries, couldn’t be allowed to be pirated for patent claims and commercial exploitation in the name of new innovation. There is need to pro-actively work together to provide viable answers to prevent patent claims on indigenous knowledge of healthcare available in the SAARC region since ages, he added.

Shri Shekhawat also said that Unani, Homeopathy, Ayurveda combined with Yoga are found to be cheaper, affordable and safer than several modern drugs. We need to think how best the elements that reflect the strengths of traditional and modern systems of medicines can be integrated and utilized for ensuring universal healthcare. He added that the fruits of development couldn’t be real till we stabilize our population. He said the agenda of population stabilization has to be at the center stage of every developing country with full commitment from political and administrative leadership.

Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Smt. Sushma Swaraj, said that India has recently compiled a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library, where 36,000 formulations from Ayurveda have been brought together in a patent compatible form. She said this is done with a view to make them available for the benefit of all human beings. She added that medicines based on these formulations should be without patents so that they are cheap and affordable. She asked the member countries to examine the implications of new patent regimes. She said that under the new WTO regime, there is likely to be a substantial increase in the cost of medicines and the member countries of SAARC should cooperate to face the situation. Secretary General of the SAARC has called for a coordinated action from the member countries to solve the public health problems facing the region.