Kochi: Its a classic case of Britain continuing to exploit India even after the firangs left the shores of the subcontinent more than half a century ago. The UK governments move to include ayurveda among the list of herbal remedies will seriously cripple Indias ayurvedic medicine manufacturing industry, which has set an ambitious export target of Rs 3,000 crore this year.

What upset the applecart of the industry, which employs thousands of people, was that the central government did nothing to persuade the British authorities to amend the move, even as the deadline set for making submissions on the issue got over on 31 July 2002.

Once the move becomes a decision, the export of ayurvedic formulations to the UK will become an extremely complex ordeal, top-level government sources say. Each medicine will then require a special sanction for sale in the UK and knowing the strict regimen for clearing medicines for sales there, nearly 95 per cent of the ayurvedic medicines are unlikely to pass export tests.

The decision will practically ban the practice of ayurveda in the UK. Worst, if restrictions on ayurveda become effective, many European countries may follow suit. The US may also take a similar stand, which means the export of ayurvedic medicines may become negligible in the future.

India now exports ayurvedic medicines worth about Rs 350 crore and the lions share goes to European Union nations. The sources say the British Medicinal Control Agency has prepared a guideline titled Traditional ethnic medicines, public health and compliance with medicines law, which is supposed to be useful for the public wishing to find out more about the quality and safety issues related to traditional ethnic medicine.

Some individuals and firms reportedly launched the process of preparing such a document in the wake of the complaints of malpractices. The document lists ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine as ethnic medicines.

But powerful lobbying by the supporters of the Chinese traditional medicine with the active support of the Chinese government had successfully persuaded the British authorities to include many of their medicines in the approved list.

Though the document was released more than a year ago, and the British authorities extending the deadline for making submissions after that, there was practically no effort from the Indian side to project its ancient and time-tested ayurvedic healthcare system. This, despite the fact that even agencies like the World Health Organisation had approved it.

Emphasising that ayurveda cannot be grouped together with herbal remedies, the sources say ayurvedic medicines are qualified to be medicinal products. Ayurveda has developed a unique methodology to detoxify not only toxic herbs, but also a number of minerals and even venom.

Through ages ayurveda has achieved a unique position among similar traditional medical system, because of the wide range of products and the numerous ingredients used in these medicines. It has a highly evolved diagnostic and treatment system. The diagnosis and treatment is done after a complete analysis of the disease in terms of aetiology, prodromal symptoms, pathogenesis and prognosis.

Ayurveda also has evolved its own style of describing human anatomy, physiology, pathology, practice of medicines, and pharmacology. It has eight branches of treatment, segregated using its own scientific principles and philosophy. The sources also recall that the central government had formulated specific guidelines for ayurvedic education and for awarding degrees at various levels in this discipline.

According to the supporters of ayurveda, the herbal medicines mainly rely on the nutritive values of the herbs and they do not have the concept of the genesis of the disease of its own. In such a context, they want the central health ministry to persuade the UK authorities to drop the proposed move and give this ancient Indian healthcare system a separate hearing. For that, the Indian government has to first take all steps to persuade the UK authorities to extend the deadline set for making submissions on ethnic medicines.

Easy to say, because India still thinks it is Britains colony. So how can you question the masters?