KARACHI, Aug 19: Experts here on Monday underlined the need for effective laws to evaluate alternative medicines and to check misleading claims by quacks who offer their magic remedies.

The symposium on “analysis of medicinal compounds and plant drugs” was organized by Pakistan Association of Eastern Medicines at Hamdard University, Karachi.

Dr. Navaidul Zafar, MD, Hamdard Laboratories, in his paper called for registration of traditional medicines and manufacturing units in the country for which he suggested three phases.

According to him, only 10 to 15 manufacturing units of herbal medicines in Pakistan were organized.

The quality control of traditional medicines can only be established through effective laws to regulate this industry, he added.

Currently alternative medicine was controlled by the drug law of 1976, Dr. Navaid said and proposed that information about dosage, ingredients, name of manufacturer, batch number, manufacturing date, price be written on the package of medicines.

Dr. Navaid referred to a 2001 estimate, and said global market of herbal products was reaching 57 billion dollars a year while in Pakistan herbal drug market was Rs5 billion only against pharma drugs market of Rs60 billion.

Dr. Iqbal Ahmed, Professor and Head, Department of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal chemistry, Dubai Pharmacy College, Dubai, also stressed on a large number of tests and methods for quality control to determine identity, strength, quality and purity of plant drugs and evaluate undesirable or harmful substances to ensure efficacy of the drugs.

Prof. Hakim Abdul Hanan, Dean Faculty of Eastern Medicines, Hamdard, also spoke.—PPI