Dr D Ramanathan, General Secretary of the Ayurvedic Medicine Manufacturers Organization of India (AMMOI), the largest of its kind organization for Ayurvedic drug manufacturers in the country, with the majority of the members from South India, especially Kerala. He is also the Managing Director of Sitar am Aired Pharmacy and member of the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) and Advisory Committee of the Drugs Control Department, Kerala. Dr Ramanathan was recently awarded the prestigious Assochem award instituted by the Associated Chamber of Commerce for excellence in management. Dr Ramanathan talks about the current plight of Indian Ayurvedic industry, which is otherwise stand for an exponential growth in the domestic as well as international healthcare market in an interview with P B Jayakumar.
Ayurveda and other ISMs have gained more popularity in recent times. But how far the medicine manufacturers are able to tap the potential in this field?
Ayurveda is a proven system of medicine and has been time tested for ages to prove its quality and efficacy. Worldwide, people are now turning to alternate methods of healing and have faith in systems like Ayurveda. But the problem is still most of the medicines are dispensed in the classical style as kashayams, choornams, lehyams etc. It is necessary to develop patient friendly new dosage forms in capsules, syrups, tablets etc. in tune to requirements of modern times without compromising on its efficacy and quality as mentioned in the classical texts. Companies like Kottakkal, AVP, Sitaram etc. have initiated this change, and at least about 50 units in Kerala now have quality-manufacturing premises for modern drug manufacturing. Out of the 740 odd units, 250 odd units are GMP certified and many are in the process. But we are yet to penetrate into newer markets and catapult the industry to new horizons.
What are the constraints of the industry for reaching out to fresher markets?
In Kerala, the current industry turnover is to the tune of Rs.200 crore distributed among 750 odd licensed drug-manufacturing companies. Of this, Kottakkal alone contributes about Rs.80 crore and there are another 25 companies with over Rs. 1 crore turnover. So the market is clearly overcrowded and we are facing stagnation in growth. In the last five years, increase in turnover was only by Rs.50 crore, at a rate of about Rs.10 crore every year.
The basic problem is that majority of the companies are not in a position to set up high quality manufacturing premises in tune to global level drug manufacturing parameters, scientifically validate drugs and compete along with the Pharma majors with a global perspective. When you try to export your product as a drug, you have to prove your claims in accordance to the parameters of the FDAs in various countries.
India's EXIM policy is also not very helpful to the Ayurvedic exporters to overcome such difficulties. Exporting a drug is not an easy task for an average manufacturer considering the parameters like microbial infections, contaminations etc. and when you lack insurance cover for your consignments. Then the chances of litigation. So, most of the small and medium players look forward only to the domestic market.
Less number of qualified Ayurvedic practitioners to prescribe the medicines is yet another crucial problem what the industry faces now. In India, there are about 250 Ayurvedic medical colleges and about 8000 to 10, 000 doctors coming out of these colleges every year. Considering our population, this is very less. In many of these colleges, students are taught to follow Allopathic system of medicine. Then the problem of anomalies in the syllabus and teaching methodologies. A student in Kerala normally follows the classical texts related to Ayurveda in Kerala, and he may find it difficult to practice in North India due to lack of raw materials and the medicines. An Ayurvedic student can boast of being a bachelor degree holder in surgery, but he is liable for punishment if practices surgery. It is a pity this happens in the country of Susrutha, the inventor of surgery. So Ayurveda requires lots of Governmental support for popularization.
How far the governmental policies are supportive to promote Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is being hijacked by a lobby, which looks after the interests of multinationals and a few large-scale nutraceutical companies. If you look at the major companies into Ayurveda in India, it could be seen that most of them are large-scale herbal OTC product manufacturers and not treatment oriented drug manufacturers. Take for example, Dabur, which is Rs.1300 crore odd turnover company. Its medicines contribute less than Rs.250 crore. The bureaucrats and the decision makers should understand the basics of Ayurveda and the policies should favour the original drug manufacturers.
What do you suggest to rejuvenate Ayurveda and to help the manufacturers to corner the potential in overseas markets?
We require more professionals so that more doctors prescribe the medicines. Newer specialty Ayurvedic hospitals have to come up in the country and the Government should initiate policies to promote Ayurveda with long term vision in India and abroad. Then naturally the industry will grow and I am sure the Indian Ayurvedic industry will be able to tap a sizeable global market for Ayurvedic medicines in future.