Advisor (Ayurveda) and Deputy Director
General, independent charge, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, Dr. Raghu
Arackal’s workshop report on ‘Efficacy and Intended Use of Herbal Medicines
(Working Group-3)’, highlighted India’s evolving regulatory framework and
evidence-based policy initiatives in traditional medicine. He was presenting
the report at the 16th annual meeting of the World Health Organisation –
International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (WHO–IRCH) that ended
in Jakarta, Indonesia on October 16.

The three-day event brought together global
regulatory authorities and experts to strengthen international cooperation and
harmonisation in the regulation of herbal medicines.

The Indian delegation was led by Dr Raghu
Arackal. Dr. Raman Mohan Singh, Director, Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian
Medicine and Homoeopathy (PCIM&H), presented the Workshop Report on ‘Safety
and Regulation of Herbal Medicines (Working Group-1)’, and delivered a separate
presentation on ‘Safety and Regulation of Herbal Medicines – Indian
Perspective.’

Both workshops were jointly organised by
the World Health Organization and hosted by the Ministry of Ayush, Government
of India, with support from PCIM&H. They were held from August 6 to 8, 2025
in Ghaziabad, India, and served as key preparatory inputs for the meet.

In addition, Dr Mahesh Dadhich, CEO of the
National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), co-presented a session on ‘Quality
Control, Standardisation and Sustainability of Herbal Medicines’ alongside Dr
Singh. Dr Dadhich contributed to discussions on the sustainable use of
medicinal plants and the importance of international collaboration in ensuring
quality control and standardisation too.

Through active collaboration with
international regulatory bodies under the aegis of WHO–IRCH, India continues to
champion the cause of harmonised and science-based regulation in traditional
medicine and natural product-based healthcare.