Lessons on integration from the developing world's experience

British Medical Journal, Jan 20, 2001 by Gerard Bodeker

Bodeker has mentioned the very important issues of the ability to sell and prescribe herbal medicines and licensing of traditional practitioners. It is generally recognised that the regulation of traditional systems of medicine, the products used in these systems, and the practitioners of these systems are very weak in most countries. This leads to misuse of the medicines by unqualified practitioners and loss in the credibility of the system. In traditional medicine, practitioners and manufacturers (particularly the small ones) usually oppose any steps to strengthen regulation by the health administration. Their fears are that regulation such as applies to allopathic medicine is not suitable for traditional medicine and may stifle the ancient systems of medicine. In their case they need to set up the systems themselves.

The World Health Organization, has initiated an effort in this direction and may be the appropriate body to help countries not only to develop a regulatory system but to take steps to meet the obligations under the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights Agreement when these become applicable in the developing countries around 2005.

Competing interests: None declared.

[1] Chaudhury RR. Herbal medicine for human health. New Delhi: World Health Organization regional office, 1992.

[2] Indian Council of Medical Research. Annual report of council 1998-99. New Delhi: Indian Council of Medical Research.

[3] Chaudhury RR. Antidiabetic effect of Vijayasar--Pterocarpus marsupium. Proceedings of the international congress in of pharmacology in the 21st century. New Delhi: Narosa, 2001.

National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi 110067, India Ranjit Roy Chaudhury professor

dsprud@ satyam.net.in