Question : ADULTERANTS IN AYURVEDIC MEDICINES

(a) whether a large number of Ayurvedic medicines are being manufactured by Private and Government Institutions all over the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof; (c ) whether the Government is aware of cases regarding presence of animal products, human bones and other adulterants in Ayurvedic medicines;

(d) whether the Government has conducted any probe or laboratory tests in this regard;

(e) if so, the outcome thereof and the action taken by the Government against companies for their failure to mention ingredients on the labels of their drugs/medicines;

(f) the details of laboratories set up to examine the adulteration of indigenously manufactured/imported Allopathic, Ayurvedic and other kinds of medicines, State-wise;

(g) whether the Government has decided to make compulsory licensing system for Ayurvedic firms;

(h) if so, the details thereof; and

(i) if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. ANBUMANI RAMADOSS)

(a) to (i): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 62 FOR 22ND FEBRUARY, 2006.

Yes, Sir. Large number of Ayurvedic medicines are manufactured by Private and Government Licensed Pharmacies. As on 1-4-2005, there were 7997 Ayurvedic manufacturing units in the country as detailed in Annexure.

Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, State Governments regulate the manufacturing of Ayurvedic medicines. Ayurvedic Medicines contain mostly plant materials. The use of minerals and metal and some animal parts and products in addition to plant ingredients is permissible according to Ayurvedic formularies, Pharmacopoeia and books mentioned in first schedule of the Drugs and Cosmetic Act, 1940. But, use of human bones is not permissible in Ayurvedic Medicines.

Recently an Hon`ble Member of Parliament brought a case of alleged use of animal parts and also some parts of human skull in two medicines made by a Pharmacy in Uttaranchal to the notice of the Department. The matter was referred to the Government of Uttaranchal for further inquiry and necessary action under the law. At the same time, the two medicines provided by the Hon`ble M.P. were got tested by reputed laboratories in the country. Regarding one of the medicines, one of the laboratories has confirmed presence of DNA of human species but the other laboratory has not confirmed the same. Regarding the other medicine, neither of the laboratories found DNA of any human origin. The analysis reports have been sent to the State Government of Uttaranchal for further investigation and appropriate action under the law. The Drugs Controller General of India has received three reports wherein an allopathic drug has been detected as adulterants in Ayurvedic drugs. These cases are under further investigation.

25 States have been financially assisted to upgrade their AYUSH State Drug Testing Laboratories. In addition, there are two Central Government laboratories i.e Pharmacopoeial Laboratory for Indian Medicine and Homeopathic Pharmacopoeial Laboratory. All NABL/GLP accredited laboratories are also approved by the Department to test AYUSH medicines. As regards Allopathy Drugs, 19 States have established their drugs testing laboratories and there are about 140 approved drug testing laboratories functioning in the country.

Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani Medicines are being licensed by State Drugs Controllers of ASU & H Drugs in accordance with the provisions of Chapter IVA of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945.

ANNEXURE

STATEWISE NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENT AYURVEDIC LICENSED PHARMACIES AS ON 1.4.2005

S.No	States/UTs	Govt	Non-Govt	Total
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)
1.	Andhra Pradesh	1	557	558
2.	Arunachal Pradesh	-	-	-
3.	Assam	1	39	40
4.	Bihar	-	216	216
5.	Chhatisgarh	3	50	53
6.	Delhi	1	56	57
7	Goa	-	8	8
8.	Gujarat	3	291	294
9.	Haryana	-	450	450
10.	Himachal Pradesh	3	67	70
11.	Jammu & Kashmir	-	9	9
12.	Jharkhand	-	-	-
13.	Karnataka	-	-	135#
14.	Kerala	1	1133	1134
15.	Madhya Pradesh@	1	624	625
16.	Maharashtra	3	674	677
17.	Manipur	-	-	-
18.	Meghalaya	-	1	1
19.	Mizoram	-	-	-
20.	Nagaland	-	-	-
21.	Orissa	-	-	192#
22.	Punjab	-	-	149#
23.	Rajasthan	-	-	391#
24.	Sikkim	-	2	2
25.	Tamil Nadu	1	403	404
26.	Tripura	-	-	-
27.	Uttar Pradesh	2	2060	2062
28.	Uttaranchal	3	74	77
29.	West Bengal	1	323	324
30.	A&N Islands	-	-	-
31.	Chandigarh	-	3	3
32.	D&N Haveli	-	19	19
33.	Daman & Diu	-	17	17
34.	Lakshadweep	-	-	-
35.	Pondicherry	-	30	30	Total	24	7106	7997