More than half of the 250 ayurveda units in Karnataka will not be able to comply with the Schedule T, which refers to good manufacturing practices (GMP) because of their small size of operations. The current GMP can be implemented only by large and medium sized units, and the scene is the same all over India, says R K Agarwal, chairman, Natural Remedies and president, Karnataka Indian Medicine Manufacturing Association (KIMMA).

Post-2003 does not seem to be a positive era for the SSIs in the Indian System of Medicine (ISM) sector. The SSI sector, which is aware of the impending deadline, currently fears that they will have no option but to shut down. At this juncture, the only solution is that some units that have basic infrastructure and equipment must upgrade themselves and take on the challenge to offer contract manufacturing services to other units that will not be able to comply to schedule T.

Contract manufacturing is the only answer to ensure survival. If this is possible, then it is for the first time that contract manufacturing will be available in the ISM sector. This is how contract manufacturing began in the allopathic sector, he said.

According to Agarwal, none of the large/medium size units in the country including Natural Remedies would be interested in taking up contract manufacturing. However, he is confident that contract manufacturing is possible under a co-operative scheme or even under the banner of KIMMA.

There are units, which will be interested in contract, manufacturing and we need to scout for them. They can offer contract-manufacturing services at a reasonable cost. Most small-scale units in the country operate from their residences and do not even have basic infrastructure and only with contract manufacturing will we be able to help them survive in the post GMP era, he said. The government is giving financial assistance for the medium units to become GMP compliant and not for small-scale units.

As the president of KIMMA, Agarwal does not wish to see units shut down for not being GMP compliant. He is willing to offer training in contract manufacturing free of cost at the premises of Natural Remedies located in the Veerasandra Industrial Area on the Hosur Road, in the outskirts of Bangalore.

According to Agarwal the main problem in the small-scale ayurveda manufacturing sector is the lack of standardization to check the quality of raw materials. The certification is to be given by the supplier himself as in the case of the allopathic drug sector. In this connection, talks have been initiated with the state governments of Orissa and Chattisgarh.

Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have initiated interest to see that some efforts are made in this direction because if this is introduced it will improve the quality of the raw materials.

Another issue that needs to taken seriously is the setting up of a dedicated drug test lab for ISM products in Karnataka. The State department is expected to come out with a solution.