Public Health Ministry beefs up quality control on herbal meds

BANGKOK, Oct 23 (TNA) -- Thai Public Health Ministry to apply stricter quality control on Thai herbal medicine in all aspects, including registration, safety on health, and ingredients, where the ministry has planned to also inspect the products in local market to make sure the medicines are safe for public consumption, and in turn to increase exports. Public Health Permanent Secretary Dr Sophon Mekthon stated that his ministry has set the goal of creating medical security in the country, where the ministry is keen on making sure that the Thai people would have access to adequate quantity of quality medicines. It was also planning to provide further support to the Thai local wisdom and Thai traditional medicine sectors, he said. The move has in turn allowed the ministry to launch over 70 per cent of Thai traditional medicine clinics along side modern clinics to help provide treatments to chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer, as well as to provide assistance to people with disabilities, the elderly, and bed-ridden patients. Currently, there are 85 Thai traditional medicines legally registered under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), said the permanent secretary, adding that the ministry would now push for further quality developments in Thai traditional medicines, in order to bring them to par with ASEAN quality standard and in turn increase exports and improve domestic economy. He noted, presently, there are 73 Thai traditional medicine production factories which have been approved with the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standard, and all factories have been promoting the use of organic agriculture to create more income for local residents, where the farmers have been urged to mainly use local herbs for medicine productions. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), meanwhile, has been focusing its inspections on substance contamination to verify that they are not over the safety standard and has advised the public to go to registered clinics and pharmacies for treatments and purchases of Thai traditional medicine. (TNA)