The inter-ministerial Committee on Drugs and Pharmaceuticals from Natural Products, headed by Planning Commission Member Prof N D Tewari, has set up nine sub groups for detailed analysis of the issues related with the R&D, funding, regulation, market requirements and prospects of natural products segment of the country.

The sub-groups, consisting of seven to eight members are led by eminent scientists and professionals from the government, institutions and industry.

While the sub-group on Ethical issues, toxicology, regulatory frame work and clinical trials is headed by Director General Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), the group that looks into the standardization and quality control aspects of herbal drugs, is led by Director, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER).

The other issues handled by the sub-groups and respective chairmen are Major Diseases and Drugs (Director, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology), Diseases of Animals (Managing Director, Ayurvet), NCEs (Advisor Council for Industrial and Scientific Research (CSIR), Biomedical Instruments (Director Sree Chitra Institute of Medical Technology), Health Tourism (Advisor, Planning Commission), Policy (DGHS) and Linkages with National Labs, Universities and Industry (Dr Lakshman Prasad, DST).

The sub-groups are expected to be ready with their reports to be submitted before the committee within a month's time. The committee recommendations are expected to go a long way in streamlining and organizing the activities of the country's herbal drug industry.

The need for a high power committee was felt after the government identified the absence of value addition and proper quality assurance as the major problems plaguing the herbal-based drug industry. The non-scientific way of procuring raw materials for the production of herbal drugs/food supplements/neutraceuticals/cosmetic items and the non-validated therapeutic claims on these products have all played against the growth of this sector, the centre has noted. Absence of proper regulatory mechanism, testing facility and lack of scientific cultivation of medicinal herbs were among the major reasons identified for the current crisis. The absence of a proper coordination among herbal based research and the resultant duplication of efforts and also wastage of government R&D grants were also found to be a major issue. The mandate of the committee is to suggest remedial measures for all these problems.

The Committee on Drugs and Pharmaceuticals from Natural Products has secretaries of Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Department of Ocean Development, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Department of AYUSH as members.