Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine

In News

  • Recently, the Government of India has established the Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H).

About Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine

  • Ministry
    • It is a subordinate office under the Ministry of Ayush.
  • Merger
    • It was created by merging Pharmacopoeia Commission of Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) and the two central laboratories namely Pharmacopoeia Laboratory for Indian Medicine (PLIM), Ghaziabad and Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia Laboratory (HPL).
  • Function
    • The Commission is engaged in development of Pharmacopoeial Standards for Ayurvedic, Unani, Siddha & Homoeopathic drugs.  
    • Further, PCIM&H is also acting as Central Drug Testing cum Appellate Laboratory for Indian systems of Medicine & Homoeopathy.
  • Monographs
    • 50 monographs of single drugs of Ayurveda along with 51 monographs of formulation of Ayurvedic drugs, 1 monograph of formulation of Siddha drug and 101 monographs of formulation of Unani drugs have been published during the last five years.
  • As prescribed in Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules 1945
    • Enforcement of the legal provisions pertaining to Quality Control and issuance of drug license of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, is vested with the State drug Controllers/ State Licensing Authorities appointed by the concerned State/ Union Territory Government.
      • Rule 158-B in the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 provides the regulatory guidelines for the issue of license to manufacture Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani medicines.
  • Facilitating exports
    • Certification of Pharmaceutical Products (CoPP) as per WHO Guidelines for herbal products.
    • Quality Certifications Scheme implemented by the Quality Council of India (QCI) for grant of AYUSH Premium mark to Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani products on the basis of third party evaluation of quality in accordance with the status of compliance to international standards.     

Ministry of Ayush has implemented Central Sector Scheme AYUSH Oushadhi Gunvatta Evam Uttpadan Samvardhan Yojana (AOGUSY)

  • To enhance India’s manufacturing capabilities and exports of traditional medicines and health promotion products under the initiative of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
  • To facilitate adequate infrastructural & technological upgradation and institutional activities in public and private sector for standardization, quality manufacturing and analytical testing of Ayush drugs & materials.
  • To strengthen regulatory frameworks at Central and State level for effective quality control, safety monitoring and surveillance of misleading advertisements of Ayush drugs.
  • To encourage building up synergies, collaborations and convergent approaches for promoting standards and quality of Ayush drugs & materials.

Components of AOGUSY 

  • Strengthening and up-gradation of Ayush Pharmacies and Drug Testing Laboratories to achieve higher standards.
  • Pharmacovigilance of ASU&H drugs including surveillance of misleading advertisements.
  • Strengthening of Central and State regulatory frameworks including Technical Human Resource & Capacity Building programs for Ayush drugs.
  • Support for development of standards and accreditation/ certification of Ayush products & materials in collaboration with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Quality Control of India (QCI) and other relevant scientific institutions and industrial R&D centres. 

Source: PIB