The Ayurvedic industry has taken serious objection to the government decision to not to include any members from this sector in the newly reconstituted Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) for Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani (ASU) sectors.

The industry sources complained that the fresh Board has members mostly from the traditional academic institutions and the government agencies. Since the modern thinking is very much essential to promote this sectors' acceptability among the international community, the bodies like DTAB should have adequate representation from the modern industry, sources pointed out.

Although new members panel includes Dr Chandrakant Katiyar, director (R&D), Ranbaxy Lab, the Board has no representatives from either major Ayurvedic companies or from the Ayurvedic Drug Manufacturers Association, which represents majority of the premier Ayurvedic companies in the country.

Commenting about the role and importance of DTAB at a time when the industry is looking forward to the survival in a challenging and competitive market scenario globally, Dr Anantha Narayana, head (Herbal Research), Hindustan Lever Limited, and former director, Dabur Research Foundation, said that the recommendations of DTAB is quite decisive in the policy making.

The policy directions often based on the attitude and experience of the panel members in such important bodies. "Today we need a thinking process which is in tune with the modern out look and needs. The traditional way of thinking needs to be improvised in the blend of modern experiences and progressive ideas. So the government should have created room for this blend by selecting members from the traditional as well as modern sectors," he added.

The new ASU DTAB, which had the first meeting in March, has 22 members. Chaired by Dr S P Agarwal, director general of health service, the Board has Ashwini Kumar, DCGI, and Dr S K Sharma, advisor, Department of Ayush, as members.