KARACHI, Jan 7: The federal health ministry has finally decided to formulate a comprehensive quality control policy for homoeopathic system of medicines. In this regard, Federal Health Minister Mohammed Nasir Khan has set up a quality control committee for homoeopathic system of medicines. Dr Syed Javed Hussain Shah, who is also a member of the National Council for Homoeopathy, has been appointed as chairman of the committee.

He has been assigned to prepare working paper and broader outline for having control on quality of homoeopathic medicines and asked to submit the same to the National Council for Homoeopathy so that a comprehensive policy could be formulated.

Talking to APP on Sunday, Dr Javed Shah said in order to achieve the desired objectives it was essential to have Homoeopathic Drug Act and he had put this proposal before the health minister who told him that legislation in this regard would be given priority.

He said under the Drug Act it would become incumbent to get all homoeopathic medicines registered by local manufacturers, importers and exporters. He called for uniformity of laws in the country.

Dr Javed Shah said steps would also have to be taken to control prices of homoeopathic medicines which were on the rise. He said he would recommend the ministry to appoint homoeopathic drug inspectors for quality and price check. He said the sale of homoeopathic medicines in open market should be under some licensing system.

The committee chairman pointed out that quality control laboratories would have to be established for quality control of homoeopathic drugs. He said he would submit his report to the National Council soon.—APP