The Department of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) of the Central Government is planning to set up at least one Centre of Excellence in every state as part of the efforts to improve the standards of ISM hospitals and research centres in the country.

The department would make the centres pivotal to co-ordinate the research and clinical activities of other ISM hospitals and research initiatives in each of the states. Already 10 centres from ten states have been identified and notified as Centre of Excellence, said Uma Pillai, secretary, Department of AYUSH, in Chennai, this week.

She noted the Central Government has increased the allocation of funds for the Department of AYUSH by 100% in the budget for 2005-2006. Majority of the funds would be utilised for standardization and research work related to ISM dugs and for modernisation of ISM research institutions and hospitals.

The ISM units should immediately comply with the Schedule T norms at the earliest and it is up to the state regulatory officials to ensure the units comply with GMP norms. When Pharmabiz pointed out many states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu lack adequate drug inspectors to inspect the ISM units, the secretary said some states like Punjab and Delhi have taken action against Schedule T non-compliant units. “Strong political will and executive power is necessary to implement the rules,” said Uma Pillai.

While inaugurating a national seminar on ‘Modern Vistas in Standardization and GMP’s of ISM Drugs,’ she said the department is planning to regulate practice of Yoga, as treatment of yoga lacks a regulatory framework at present. Once the practices and researches are codified in the Traditional Knowledge Digital library (TKDL), research works on yoga could also qualify for obtaining patents. TKDL has codified information about 70,000 drugs so far. Indian medicine is exported to many foreign countries not as medicines, but as nutraceuticals. Our products should be standardised for global acceptance without compromising quality of the specific products, opines Uma Pillai.

M F Farooqui, special commissioner for Indian Medicine of Tamil Nadu presided the meeting. Dr. G S Lavekar, director of Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha, New Delhi, Dr. G Veluchamy, director, Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha, Chennai, Prof. Hakkim Syed Khaleefathullah, chairman of SAC, (Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine) were present on the occasion.