Karnataka India Medicine Manufacturers Association is approaching the State Directorate of Ayush with a request to appoint one of its members as nominee in the Expert Committee to issue licences for new proprietary medicines.

The Centre has taken a right move to appoint such a committee and this will benefit the manufacturers of Indian Medicine products, stated JSD Pani, secretary, KIMMA. There is a need for a dedicated Committee to oversee the licensing of the new proprietary drugs, he said.

As per the government order, every state directorate of Ayush should form the committee headed by the Ayush Director as chairperson. It is also mandatory that the committee members will include a Professor of Dravyaguna, an eminent Ayurveda Physician nominated by the Health Secretary, Senior Central Government Health Services Ayurveda Doctor working in the State to be nominated by the Health Secretary and Member Secretary is the Licensing Authority.

The government had issued a direction to the State Licensing Authority under Section 33 P of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940 to streamline the system for licensing of patent and proprietary ayurveda, sidhha and unani products under Rule 154 and 154 A of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act.

The expert committee will advise the State Licensing Authority before any patent and proprietary ayurveda, siddha and unani is licensing for production by any manufacturing unit.

"It is necessary that a KIMMA member is included in the committee as we have been providing full support to the licensing of drugs and keeping tabs on the violators," stated Pani.

On the misuse of Central funds for purchase of medicines by the District Health Office which has resulted in a circular from the Centre ordering that the purchases of drugs using central funds need to be done only from CGHS Rate Contract suppliers or Central and State Government Cooperative societies, Pani stated that the orders have come only because of the prevalence of corrupt practices in the system.