First Meeting of Working Group for Standardization of Sowa-Rigpa Medicine System Concludes

The first meeting of the Sowa-Rigpa working group, constituted under the Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homeopathy (PCIM&H), was held on September 18 at the PCIM&H facility in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. This meeting is regarded as a significant step toward the development of Sowa-Rigpa pharmacopoeias and formularies in India.

The meeting was chaired by Dr. Kaustubha Upadhyay, Director of PCIM&H. Four experts from various Sowa-Rigpa institutions participated in the session, including Dr. Padma Gurmet, Director of the National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa in Leh. Dr. Padma Gurmet expressed gratitude to the Government of India for initiating the work on Sowa-Rigpa pharmacopoeias and formularies.

The primary objective of the working group is to ensure quality assurance and the implementation of regulatory provisions for Sowa-Rigpa medicines. To achieve this, a phased action plan will be developed for the creation of necessary formularies, pharmacopoeias, and other statutory and non-statutory documents. This entire process will be carried out within the scope of PCIM&H and in accordance with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the rules framed thereunder.

Through this initiative, the Government of India aims to develop and standardize the Sowa-Rigpa medical system within the regulatory framework of traditional medicine. The development of the pharmacopoeia and formularies will establish a structured foundation for regulatory requirements and quality standards for Sowa-Rigpa medicines.

It is noteworthy that the Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homeopathy is a subordinate office under the Ministry of Ayush. The commission is responsible for the development of pharmacopoeias and formularies and also serves as the Central Drugs Testing-cum-Appellate Laboratory for Indian systems of medicine and Homeopathy.