ISLAMABAD, May 25: Unregistered Indian herbal medicines have flooded the local market posing health hazards for the consumers while the Ministry of Health has turned a blind eye to the issue.

“This herbal medicine is tested by our guru (a spiritual teacher in Hinduism) for centuries and is best for knee-related pain,” an Indian actor claims in one of the herbal medicine advertisements being aired on local private television channels.

He also gives the buyers contact information about drug stores across the country for getting the delivery of the herbal medicines at their doorsteps.

“Using herbal medicines of un-recognised companies can be harmful,” said Dr Fayyaz Maqsood.

He said one should be very careful while using herbal medications, especially oral ones, because their intake could have side-effects leading to complications.

When contacted, Director General Health Dr Asad Hafeez said: “During the last eight months of my tenure, we have not received a single application for registration of any Indian medicine; so the sale and purchase of such herbal medicines stands illegal… I don't know about the previous practice of registration of Indian drugs.”

However, it is not clear whether herbal medicines were included in the 'positive list' of the federal government. Products in the 'positive list' are imported from India with the approval of the government.

Asked about any action to block the sale and advertisement of the Indian herbal medicines on local television channels, he said: “We at the federal level only deal with the pricing, registration and licensing of drugs while the quality control is a provincial matter.” He said advertisements running on local media related to herbal medicines or drugs come under the purview of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra).

Dr Hafeez said Pemra was taking action on such advertisements besides a complete laid-down procedure is already there for running a drug-related advertisement, which though is often violated. He said he would take up the matter with the Pemra authorities.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Amir Ali Ahmed told Dawn: “We will be writing to Pemra over the Indian herbal medicine advertisements being aired by local channels.”

A campaign will be in place by tomorrow to block the sale of herbal medicines in the federal capital which are not registered or cleared by the health ministry, he added.

The deputy commissioner said a consumer court was already working in Islamabad and any citizen can file a case against illegal sale of Indian herbal medicines there.

Officials in Pemra were not available for comments.