Cabinet approves setting up of Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine

NEW DELHI - The Union Cabinet today approved the setting up of the Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine (PCIM) as an autonomous Society under the Societies Registration Act.

It also approved the creation of a post of Director-cum-Member Secretary of the Commission in the scale and Grade Pay of Joint Secretary to the Government of India.

The Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine (PCIM) will have the following objectives:-

1.Publication and revision of the Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani Pharmacopoeia as well as their formulations and also to develop and publish standards of other plants and natural products relevant to Indian Systems of Medicine.

2.Develop standards for quality, identity and purity of raw materials and compound formulations as well as to develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the manufacture of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani (ASU) drugs.

3.Maintain National repository of authentic reference raw materials used in the manufacture of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicines and supply of reference standards to the stakeholders.

4.Generate and maintain repository of chemical reference marker compounds/extracts of the plants or other ingredients used in standardizing Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicines and supply them to the stakeholders.

5.Prepare monographs relating to medicinal plants available in the Local Health Traditions of various communities in the country.

6.Ensure furtherance of Chapter IV-A of Drugs and Cosmetic Act and Rules dealing with the quality standards related to ASU Drugs.

7.Promote research on quality, safety and efficacy of ASU drugs.

8.Create awareness about the quality in ASU drugs and formulations.

9.Exchange information and interact with Pharmacopoeia Commissions and other international bodies in order to develop global ASU pharmacopoeial standards. (ANI)