The Union Commerce Ministry will soon issue the draft notification for the certification scheme, inviting expert comments from all the stake holders on the scheme and its viability. The certification scheme, a brainchild of Pharmaceutical Export Council of India (Pharmexcil), is being implemented by the Ministry for the exporters of ayurveda, sidda and unani (ASU) to help them overcome the problems arising out of the objections by some countries on the quality of the products.

Export Inspection Council (EIC) under the Ministry of Commerce will implement the certification scheme wherein every consignment of ASU product exported should get clearance from the EIC.

As per the proposed certification scheme, the ASU exporters have to route their products through EIC. The ASU exporters should get each and every consignment tested from the EIC-approved laboratories before exporting the same to different countries. After testing the products at these EIC labs, the ASU exporters have to enclose the certificate for getting clearance from the customs officers and the zonal drug controllers for exporting their products.

The Commerce Ministry will give around 45 days time to the stake holders to make comments on the draft notification before it finally issues the notification.

The ASU exporters in India are in deep trouble as several countries have taken objection on the India products on the ground that they contain toxic materials like heavy metals, pesticide residues, microbial contents and aflotoxins above the acceptable limits. These substances are considered unsafe for health, if it is more than the permissible limits.

These findings had an adverse effect on the ASU exporters in the country. To address this issue, Pharmexcil and Department of Ayush convened a round-table conference in Delhi on December 7 last year in which two sub-groups were constituted to go deep into the issue and to come out with a viable solution. While one sub-group under Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) was constituted to recommend the toxic limit specifications, the other one was constituted under EIC director Shashi Sarin to establish the procedures. Pharmexcil executive director Dr PV Appaji is the member secretary of both these sub-groups, which have submitted its reports to pave way for the draft notification.

Meanwhile, the Pharmexcil in association with EIC and ADMA is convening a seminar on August 10, 2007 in Mumbai to get the feedback from the stakeholders on the draft notification. Senior Department of Ayush officials including secretary Anita Das and joint secretary Shiv Basant are expected to attend the seminar to the firsthand feedback on the draft certification scheme.