Department of Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (Ayush) recently issued a draft gazette notification informing about the appointment of additional drug controller (ASU drugs) and four drug inspectors for Ayurveda and Unani drugs.

It has been notified that Dr Janardan Pandey who is the joint advisor (ayurveda), department of Ayush has been appointed as the additional drug controller (ASU drugs). He will look after the regulations of the ASU drugs and enforcement of the D&C Act and Rules 1945 throughout India in connection with manufacturing and sales of the ASU drugs.

Dr M A Qasmi, assistant advisor (unani) department of Ayush and Dr G C Gaur, technical officer (ayurveda), department of Ayush have been appointed as the drug inspectors for Unani and ayurveda.They will be responsible for inspecting the premises of the unani and ayurveda manufacturing units/CGHS and other stores and labs etc in the country. Dr Qasmi will be responsible to collect the unani drug samples and send for testing and initiate necessary action under the act where as Dr Gaur will be responsible to collect the ASU drug and samples and send for testing and initiate necessary action.

Dr Suresh Sharma and Dr Suresh Kumar are the other two officers who are appointed as the drug inspectors (ayurveda). They are also the research officers at the department of Ayush. According to the notification these officers will discharge the work in addition to their normal duties in the department of Ayush.

This move will now see the Centre having control over the state departments of Ayush on similar lines of the allopathy drugs. It is also expected that this move will help in speeding up the approvals for Indian System of Medicine drugs.