05 AUG 2025, New Delhi
India is all set to host an important international event focused on herbal medicine safety and regulations. The WHO-IRCH (International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines) Workshop will take place from August 6 to 8, 2025, at Hotel Fortune, Ghaziabad.
This event is being organised by the Ministry of Ayush in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). It is also supported by the Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H).
What is the Workshop About?
The three-day workshop will bring together experts and government regulators from around the world to discuss how to make herbal medicines safer and more effective. It will help improve how these medicines are checked, approved, and used not just in India, but across many countries.
The event will be inaugurated by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, and Dr. Kim Sungchol, Chairperson of WHO–IRCH.
Who is Participating?
The workshop will have physical participation from 12 countries, including:
- Bhutan, Brunei, Cuba, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, Paraguay, Poland, Sri Lanka, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
Other countries like Brazil, Egypt, and the USA will join the event virtually.
This makes it a truly global event with participation from different parts of Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe.
Key Goals of the Workshop
The workshop has five main objectives:
- Encourage international cooperation in regulating herbal medicines.
- Improve safety and effectiveness checks for herbal drugs.
- Support common standards and rules (regulatory convergence) globally.
- Promote safe usage of traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda, Unani, etc.
- Build skills and knowledge through training and real case studies.
What Will Happen at the Workshop?
Some of the major activities planned include:
- Hands-on training in identifying herbal drugs and checking for heavy metals using modern lab technology like HPTLC.
- Discussions on the safety, use, and regulation of important herbs like Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera).
- Reviews of the work done by WHO–IRCH groups related to herbal drug safety.
- Sessions on pre-clinical research and the regulatory systems used by different countries.
- Introduction of India’s Ayush Suraksha (Pharmacovigilance) Programme, which keeps track of the safety of traditional medicines.
Study Visits for Global Delegates
To give foreign delegates a better idea of how traditional medicine works in India, they will visit important institutions, such as:
- PCIM&H laboratories
- National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM), Ghaziabad
- All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi
These visits will give guests hands-on experience of India’s integrated healthcare system, where modern science and traditional healing come together.
Why This Workshop Matters
With people all over the world using herbal and traditional medicines, it is very important to make sure these treatments are:
- Safe
- Effective
- Properly tested and regulated
This workshop will help unite countries in building strong rules, encouraging scientific research, and promoting global health standards. It will also boost India’s leadership in traditional medicine on the global stage.
Source: PIB
