India has stepped onto the world stage as a hub for herbal medicine dialogue, opening its doors today to regulators, scientists, and traditional medicine experts from across the globe.
The WHO–International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (IRCH) Workshop, running from August 6 to 8, is being hosted by the Ministry of AYUSH in partnership with the World Health Organization, with support from the Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H).
The event kicked off with an inaugural address by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of AYUSH, alongside Dr. Kim Sungchol, Chairperson of WHO–IRCH. Over the next three days, delegates from countries including Bhutan, Ghana, Japan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Uganda, and Zimbabwe will share their expertise—while participants from Brazil, Egypt, and the US join virtually.
A Global Priority: Safety and Standards
The workshop aims to strengthen safety protocols, create common regulatory standards, and promote evidence-based integration of herbal medicine into healthcare systems. One focus area is Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)—a plant celebrated for its wellness benefits but now under detailed safety review.
Hands-on training sessions will cover herbal drug identification, heavy metal testing, and advanced chemo-profiling techniques at PCIM&H laboratories. The Ayush Suraksha Pharmacovigilance Programme will also be launched to improve safety monitoring and reporting systems for herbal products.
Showcasing India’s Strengths
Delegates will visit leading institutions like the National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM) and the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), highlighting India’s integrative approach that blends tradition with modern science.
“This is more than a workshop—it’s a step toward global trust in herbal medicine,” said Dr. Kotecha. “By combining ancient wisdom with rigorous safety checks, we are making traditional medicine future-ready.”
The Bigger Picture
With herbal medicine gaining worldwide popularity, the challenge is ensuring that what reaches the public is safe, effective, and standardized. Experts at the workshop believe that harmonized regulations and global cooperation are essential to safeguard users and strengthen the credibility of traditional medicine systems.
As the three-day event unfolds, the message from India is clear: herbal medicine’s future depends on the same things that make modern medicine trustworthy—science, safety, and shared global standards.