With herbal and ayurvedic products' getting frequent red alerts, the industry, government officials and policy makers are planning to introduce certification scheme for such products prior to export.

The scheme is being jointly chalked out by Pharmexcil, Department of AYUSH and Central Drug Laboratory.

Under this, the group will recommend products for certification, it provide details about the authorized centres, certified products and help companies to minimize HM testing etc. Examining the damaging impact of environmental pollution, use of herbicides, pesticides and metal containing tools and appliances, and microbial limits at production stage is on top priority for certification. The products will be certified based on the current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) and WHO standards.

The certification is mainly related to quality issues that are often stressed upon by other countries to limit heavy metals usage in herbal products. 'Many countries stipulate that herbal and ayurvedic products should confirm to heavy metal residues, pesticides residue and microbiological limits. Adhering to this we are working towards introducing certification programme for herbal and ayurvedic medicine as well as companies that export herbal medicine' said Dr P V Appaji, executive director, Pharmexcil.

The certification scheme is currently at planning stage and once finalized it will be recommended to Department of AYUSH for final approval and implementation. The export inspection authority will certify the programme.

This initiative can be related to the central government necessitating the testing of herbal medicines, for heavy metal content, that are exported. The latest addition to Indian Pharmacopoeia also insists on analytical procedures of limited tests instead of expensive instrumental methods for HM testing.

According the Dr Appaji, the programme has come in a time when there is immense demand for herbal products in export market and at the same time these products are receiving red alters which demands attention, and implementation of such scheme (certification) will benefit the exporters in a big way.