INDIA SHOWCASES LEADERSHIP IN HERBAL MEDICINE REGULATION AT THE 16TH WHO-IRCH ANNUAL MEET


Advisor (Ayurveda) and Deputy Director General, independent charge, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, Dr. Raghu Arackal’s workshop report on ‘Efficacy and Intended Use of Herbal Medicines (Working Group-3)’, highlighted India’s evolving regulatory framework and evidence-based policy initiatives in traditional medicine. He was presenting the report at the 16th annual meeting of the World Health Organisation – International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (WHO–IRCH) that ended in Jakarta, Indonesia on October 16.

The three-day event brought together global regulatory authorities and experts to strengthen international cooperation and harmonisation in the regulation of herbal medicines.

The Indian delegation was led by Dr Raghu Arackal. Dr. Raman Mohan Singh, Director, Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy (PCIM&H), presented the Workshop Report on ‘Safety and Regulation of Herbal Medicines (Working Group-1)’, and delivered a separate presentation on ‘Safety and Regulation of Herbal Medicines – Indian Perspective.’

Both workshops were jointly organised by the World Health Organization and hosted by the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, with support from PCIM&H. They were held from August 6 to 8, 2025 in Ghaziabad, India, and served as key preparatory inputs for the meet.

In addition, Dr Mahesh Dadhich, CEO of the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), co-presented a session on ‘Quality Control, Standardisation and Sustainability of Herbal Medicines’ alongside Dr Singh. Dr Dadhich contributed to discussions on the sustainable use of medicinal plants and the importance of international collaboration in ensuring quality control and standardisation too.

Through active collaboration with international regulatory bodies under the aegis of WHO–IRCH, India continues to champion the cause of harmonised and science-based regulation in traditional medicine and natural product-based healthcare.


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