Although the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) has been conducting several disease and drug related studies in the country, it is handicapped with lack of own research and development facilities. This makes it to depend on other institutions for research work causing long delays in finalizing the studies.

The CCRH, looking to bolster its R&D efforts, has taken up the matter with the Ayush Department several times but the sanction of funds from the government is still eluding, sources said.

The Council has also been faced with delay in finalizing clinical researches and verifications due to the lack of a modified structure at the centre.

Currently, 17 diseases related and one drug related studies (on redesigned protocol), including depressive episode, schizophrenia, chronic bronchitis, chronic sinusitis, diabetic, distal symmetric polyneuropathy, malaria etc. are being conducted under the CCRH. Among those clinical trails, HIV/AIDS (open trail), HIV/AIDS (drug related) are the significant ones under the process. Under the segment of clinical verification studies, 35 drugs developed by the council are in progress.

For the majority of the studies, CCRH depends on institutes like Department of Medical Elementology and Toxicology, Jamia Hamdard, Jawahar Lal Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and research (JIPMER) Pondichery etc. under the banner of 'collaborative research studies'.

"There are many clinical studies which require testing on animals to get an authentic result. HIV/AIDS (open trail) and HIV/AIDS (drug related) clinical trials are among those which require testing on animals. But for some reasons, it has not been sanctioned at the CCRH by the health ministry so far,'' a senior official said.

"It is disgusting that an institution having a responsibility to maintain and formulate of the aims and pattern of research on scientific lines in homoeopathy, is in itself not consolidated", he said.