The first meeting of the Sowa-Rigpa Working Group, constituted under the Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H), was held on September 18, at PCIM&H, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. The meeting marks an important step towards the development of Sowa-Rigpa Pharmacopoeias and Formularies in India.
The meeting was chaired by Dr. Kousthubha Upadhyaya, Director, PCIM&H. Sowa-Rigpa was represented by four experts from various Sowa-Rigpa institutions, including Dr. Padma Gurmet, Director, National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa, Leh.
Dr. Padma Gurmet expressed gratitude to the Government of India for formally initiating the work on Sowa-Rigpa Pharmacopoeias and Formularies.
The Working Group will undertake a step-wise action plan for the development of Formularies, Pharmacopoeias and other statutory and non-statutory documents required to support the implementation of regulatory provisions and quality assurance of Sowa-Rigpa drugs. The work will be undertaken within the ambit of PCIM&H and in accordance with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Rules thereunder.
The initiative is aimed at further development and standardisation of the Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine within the Government of India’s regulatory framework for traditional medicines. The development of Pharmacopoeias and Formularies will provide a structured basis for quality standards and regulatory requirements for Sowa-Rigpa drugs.
The Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy is a subordinate office under the Ministry of Ayush, responsible for the development of Pharmacopoeias and Formularies and functioning as the Central Drug Testing-cum-Appellate Laboratory for Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy.