At the same time, he said it is necessary to ensure quality of products "for the sake of safety and for consumers to use these medicines with confidence", adding it remain a challenge that needs to be addressed through validation and proper enforcement of regulation.
His remarks came amid a row over advertisement of ayurvedic formulation AYUSH-82. It was developed by Central Council of Research in Ayurvedic Sciences- an autonomous body under AYUSH Ministry- earlier this year, claiming it could treat diabetes. The controversial advertisement was pulled off air in October.
Sripad Naik said, "Many questions are raised about the scientific basis of traditional medicine, their quality, safety and efficacy. It is true that the facet of the traditional and complex herbal formulation can't be explained fully on the conventional parameters used for testing of chemical drugs.
"But for the sake of safety and consumers to use these medicines with confidence, it is necessary to ensure quality of products."
Officials of the AYUSH ministry say that the very nature of Ayurvedic drugs is such that they can't be tested at molecular level as ingredients may have synergistic effect.
AYUSH ministry also maintains that the advertisement wasn't issued by the government but was developed by agencies commercially manufacturing AYUSH-82 under various names.
A controversial advertisement showed top official of CCRAS endorsing Ayush 82.
The AYUSH minister was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the 9th annual meeting of International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines being hosted by India this year.
The objectives of the meeting are to promote and facilitate the safe use of herbal medicines globally, facilitate and strengthen cooperation between national regulatory authorities and discuss existing regulatory mechanisms to ensure quality, safety and efficacy of herbal medicines.
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