Do government policies impede the growth of plant-based medicinal research?
Firstly, the Government can spend more in this area. The R&D (research and development) funding should have a very specific thrust on Indian system of medicine, and on diseases that are of considerable relevance, and metabolic diseases such as diabetes, and coronary heart disease. Research institutions that are exclusively into Indian systems should be incentivised and encouraged to carry out further work. Such institutions should not be basketed with pharmaceutical research institutions. Also, the Gove rnment needs to have a number of systems put in place for streamlining this area. A coordinated effort to bring in quality standards in plant based drugs and in implementing the standards rigorously should be top in the list of things to do. Government m ust keep a watch on the changes that regulatory authorities around the world bring about to herbal and plant based products, so that we react to these requirements appropriately. Not many Ayurvedic and Siddha drugs can meet the demandin
