An official team of experts is to make a presentation on Ayurveda to the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) in London, today, to present evidence relating to the scientific basis of Ayurveda and the potential it holds for global health care.

The presentation is being done under the aegis of India-European Union Joint Working Group on Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology. The Experts team is being led by Shiv Basant, Joint Secretary, Department of Ayush. The other members are Dr. S.K. Sharma, Adviser (Ay.), Dr. G.N. Qazi, Director, Regional Research Laboratory, CSIR, Jammu, Dr. Arvind Chopra, Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, Pune and C.K. Katiar, Director, Herbal Division, Ranbaxy.

It may be noted that the introduction of the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive (THMPD) by the European Union (EU) since April 2004 has come as a major setback for selling Ayurvedic medicines in the European Union countries. At present no traditional herbal medicines can be registered in the EU unless the product is proven with safe use for at least 15 years in the European Union. Though India has been trying to convince EU drug authorities on the safety and efficacy of Ayurveda, which has more than 5000 years of history, the efforts have not yielded much result. An Indian team comprising of senior officials form the Department of Indian Systems of Medicine & Homeopathy (ISM&H) and few Ayurvedic industry representatives had visited Europe earlier with the purpose of negotiating with the officials in European Commission (EC) as well as UK MHRA to save Ayurvedic exports from India.

A press release said the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Sidha and Homeopathy (Ayush) is also organizing an exposition of Indian medicines during the World Health Assembly in Geneva from 24-26 May, 2006. This is to showcase the scientific basis of Ayush systems of medicine and the Research and Development work done on medicinal plants, plant extracts and medicines. The premier manufacturers of Ayurveda, Yunani and Sidha drugs and medicinal plant extract manufacturers like Dabur India, Himalaya Drugs, Baidyanath, Zandu Pharmaceuticals, Hamdard, Sami Labs, Maharishi Ayurveda and Health resort managers like Suokya, Bangalore and Kerala Tourism are participating in this exposition.

The Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss will inaugurate the Exposition of Indian Medicines. A high level delegation led by Secretary, Ayush will represent the Department of Ayush in this Exposition. The virtual demonstration of therapeutic techniques like Panchkarma, Ksar-Sutra etc, lectures, presentations and interactive sessions will also take place during the event. In addition, display of natural health products, scientific and regulatory documents and short films on Ayurveda and Yoga has also been arranged.