The Ayurvedic Medicine Manufacturers Organisations of India (AMMOI) has demanded that the Ayurveda Siddha Unani Drugs Technical Advisory Board (ASUDTAB) under the Ministry of Ayush to recommend one member from AMMOI in the proposed Kerala State Technical Committee for ASU Drugs (KSTC ASU).
 
Similarly, according to AMMOI, amendment is required in Section 158-C for the purpose of including three representatives from the industry side to the Central Expert Committee to comprehensively cover the ASU sector. The association has already forwarded its suggestions to the ASUDTAB. The manufacturers wanted more clarification on New ASU drugs that is dealt in the draft copy.
 
Earlier, while reconstituting the ASUDTAB in April 2015, AMMOI had demanded representation in the Board, but was rejected by the Ayush Ministry saying that the total number of members was limited to 20. Though the manufacturers organisation had reiterated its demand further, it was also turned down by the ministry saying that the Technical Advisory Board was reconstituted as per section 33C (2) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, which fixed the total number of members as twenty. So, AMMOI could not get into the technical advisory board which is the statutory body under the Ayush Ministry.
 
Now, with the Ministry of Ayush is going ahead with the plan to amend D &C rules, ASUDTAB has made a proposal as part of discussion on the draft rules that a state level technical committee is needed in every state to advise on technical matters related to licensing and quality control of ASU drugs. The committee will operate in line with the functioning of the Drugs Technical Advisory Committee under the ministry. The Kerala based AMMOI wants a representation in the state level committee, said Dr. S.G. Ramesh Warrier and Dr. D. Ramanathan, office-bearers of the association.
 
Thirdly, as a suggestion to the draft bill, AMMOI has put forward the idea that the qualification of the inspectors who come under the controlling authorities should be either a post graduate in Rasashastra or Bhaishajya Kalpana or Dravyaguna, or a graduate or post graduate in Ayurveda Pharmacy.
 
The association further suggested that there was no need of categorization of ayurvedic drugs considering risk factors like severe, moderate or mild. Hence the provision for amendment for risk category should be omitted.