The South East Asian Region Pharmaceutical Forum (SEARPharm) and the Western Pacific Pharmaceutical Forum (WPPF) have jointly suggested the formation of an International Herbal Pharmacopoeia (IHP) to help avoid most of the conflicting claims on the rights over traditional medicines of various countries and also to have an effective regulatory and quality control over the increasing herbal medicinal market in these countries. While SEARPharm represents 10 South East Asian countries including India, countries like Australia, China and Pakistan are leading members of WPPF. Both the organizations are formed by the joint initiative of The International Pharmaceutical Federation (Federation Internationale Pharmaceutique -- FIP), WHO and the national pharmaceutical associations of the region. In India, Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) is its founding member in SEARPharm.
The forums are to initiate the formation of IHP and also equip its members to educate the pharmacists involved in dispensing the traditional medicines to keep track of the after effects of the drug and there by turn it into an evidence based medicine. The respective pharmaceutical associations and WHO would also strive towards reviewing the pharmacy-teaching curriculum so as to include portions that deals with traditional drugs also. It's known that pharmacists are currently playing negligible role in the field of alternative medicine that has been pegged at US$ 200 business worldwide. In terms of volume it stands second only to allopathic market.
Incentive systems to growers of herbal drugs, stringent penalties for exploitation of flora and fauna, quality systems such as GPP, GMP GLP, GCP and ICH guidelines, review and overhaul of pharmacy teaching curriculim, CE programmes for pharmacists, separate department under independent charge of bureaucrat in the MOH and greater awareness about Herb-Drug interactions especially with consumers lifestyle medications were all identified as issues of major importance.
Informing this to Pharmabiz.com, P D Sheth, professional secretary, SEARPharm said that the issue was taken up at the recent AGM of the forum at Seoul, Korea. The conference had highlighted the issues of quality, efficacy and safety of herbal products and traditional / alternative therapies and invited pharmacists to accept the challenge to ensure that the claims made for the products and the practices are valid.
"While 50 to 70 per cent of the people in Asia and Africa do not have access to essential drugs, traditional medicine provides important health care in these countries. The WHO in its comprehensive report (legal status of traditional medicines and complimentary / alternate medicines) have asked governments in Asia to play a leading role in regulation and establishing quality standards" he pointed out.
Greater cooperation among producers of traditional medicines that should come in through joint ventures and partnerships. The total market of the herbal drugs is almost USD 200 billions and offers immense opportunity to pharmacist. While traditional practitioners and physicians go on performing their roles pharmacy could well be the gatekeeper of the data on quality, efficacy and safety. He added.
The Forums are planning international conferences on each specific topic that is necessary for the promotion of alternative systems of medicine market. They will also lobby with the governments to introduce sufficient legal provisions to make the alternative drug sector grow in a healthy manner.