The Ayurvedic Drug Manufacturers Association (ADMA) has urged the Amar Singh-led Parliamentary panel on CDA to exclude the Ayurveda Siddha and Unani (ASU) medicines from the scope of the Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Bill, 2007 on the plea that the ASU industries need a selective and focused approach.

Strongly opposing the inclusion of ASU medicines in the proposed Central Drug Authority (CDA), the ADMA said that the proposal to include the ASU medicines under the scope of the proposed CDA is inconsistent with the government's earlier selective and focused approach on ASU industries under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

It was under this policy that the government established a separate Department of Ayush in the year 1994 to administer, regulate and provide specialized attention to the ASU sector which was facing neglect and inadequate priority in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Since then, the department of Ayush has been strengthened from time to time and has emerged as a nodal department for the ASU sector with focused developmental plans being rolled out as is evidenced in the 11th Plan recommendations.

Taking strong exception to the proposal to substitute the Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani Drugs Technical Advisory Board (AYUSH DTAB) with the CDA, the Association said this is a retrograde step as this will lead to a situation where a highly technical body will be replaced by a bureaucratic body.

Describing the government's proposal to constitute a centralized licensing system in the form of CDA instead of the existing highly decentralized system of licensing as a retrograde step, ADMA said this concentration of powers in the hands of CDA will created practical difficulties to the ASU industries. Most of the ASU industries are small and middle scale units which are located at district places in rural areas and will face major difficulties in filing of application for grant of licenses, its follow-up and filing of appeals, etc, ADMA said.

Presenting its case before the Amar Singh-led Parliamentary Committee on CDA, which was in Mumbai recently, ADMA however said that if the central government considers it absolutely necessary to establish CDA, it should be on the lines of National Food and Standard Authority.