VARANASI: The faculty of ayurveda, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has proposed to introduce Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflets packed along with the packets of ayurvedic medicines to provide instructions and consumer guidelines on the line of other modern medicines.
Under a World Health Organisation (WHO) project, which was sanctioned to BHU to develop ‘consumer guidelines for appropriate use of Ayurvedic medicines’, the experts have proposed to use these leaflets to inform the consumers about certain as well as compulsory facts related to the medicine.
According to Dr Anand Chaudhary of department of Rasa Shastra, BHU the CMI leaflet is a reference document which is given along with the medicines that consumers can take home and read to know necessary facts regarding the medicine. The guidelines were prepared under the supervision of Dr Anand Chaudhary.
“The CMI leaflets are compulsory along with the allopathic medicines, however, it’s use was not very popular with ayurveda medicines,” informed Dr Chaudhary, who is also the regional coordinator, North India, National Pharmacovigilance Centre.
The experts have proposed that the CMI leaflets of ayurvedic medicines might be produced by the pharmaceutical company and can be enclosed with the medicine package, supplied by the pharmacist as a leaflet, and can also be provided by the physicians. They have also proposed that the CMI leaflet must be accurate and easy to use for consumers, consistent with information and straightforward explanation regarding the needs of the patients or consumers. It should give detailed information about the ingredients, indications, contraindications, dose, mode of administration and expiry period of the medicine.
Under this project, ayurveda experts have also prepared certain guidelines for common consumers. “Very few people are in the habit of looking at the label or asking product information. Many ayurvedic products claim to treat cancer, diabetes and cardiac ailments. And as obtaining license for manufacturing ayurvedic products is a relatively simple process with little or no requirement for clinical validation of safety and efficacy, it is a tough task to distinguish products which are made following a sound manufacturing process.”
The practice of selling Ayurvedic medicines by touts, naive practitioners claiming magical remedies is completely illegal but is still very prevalent on roadside, near bus stations, railway stations and other crowded places. In such a situation, people either ignore the ayurvedic product completely or opt for them relying on big brands, family tradition, advertisements and word of mouth. Therefore, the need of standardised consumer guideline arises. This is also important for the new believers of ayurveda in western countries who are more vulnerable to advertisements and purchase of ayurvedic medicines without any knowledge about the medicine,” he informed.
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