The manufacturers of Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani medicines in Tamil Nadu, who have applied for the licenses for the Patent and Proprietary ASU medicines, will soon be granted the approvals for their products as the state government will soon constitute the high level committee as per the union health ministry orders.

As part of its efforts to weed out irrational Ayush formulations in the country, the union health ministry had recently issued a notification asking the state licensing authorities (SLAs) to constitute an expert committee to screen the applications for new ayurveda, siddha and unani products in future. Since then, applications for the licences have been waiting for the constitution of the committee.

Special Commissioner of Indian Medicines and Homeopathy, Government of Tamil Nadu, A Rajkumar said that though issuance of these licenses have been waiting for the constitution of a high level committee, the licenses for 'shastrik ASU medicines' were being considered.

Putting aside the allegation that the manufacturers are unable to market their products for want of valid and updated approval, he said there is no need of separate license as a license issued to the firm in any state is valid to market its products not only in the state, but throughout the country and even for export purpose to the entire world.

Refuting the statement of Impcops president Dr Ramalingam, Rajkumar said his office is carrying out the routine functions of license-related works for ASU manufacturing units as per the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules. The office has already started issuing the renewal of licenses, GMP Certificates and fresh licenses for shastric medicines, he said.

Earlier the ASU Medicines manufacturers-cum-medical practitioners' Association, 'Impcops' has complained that the inordinate delay in issuing and renewal of manufacturing licenses has seriously upset the manufacturing schedules of these manufacturers in the state.

"As far as the renewal is concerned, it is official procedure and the manufacturing processes of the ASU manufacturers need not be stopped for the same reason and renewal of licenses are still pending for some of the firms even from 2003-2004. The only mandatory requirement is that the firm has to apply for the renewal in time and they can continuously proceed their process of manufacturing", he said in an official release to Pharmabiz.