Digital library for ayurvedic herbs.

[Guest guest]

Patents library for Indian herbs

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M.R. VENKATESH

Chennai, Sept. 2: A Rs 120-crore “knowledge protection” project is under way to

stop foreign countries from awarding patents on traditional Indian medicinal

herbs.

 

All the known Ayurvedic, Unani and Siddha formulations, with their chemical and

curative properties, are being compiled in a “digital library”, Union health

minister Anbumani Ramadoss said today.

 

The information — in English, Spanish, French, Japanese and German — will be

made available to patents offices abroad by the end of the year, after cabinet

approval.

 

It’s their ignorance of Indian systems of medicine that led foreign countries to

award patents on turmeric and neem, the minister said.

 

The digital library will contain details of about 75,000 Ayurvedic medicines,

50,000 Unani formulations and 15,000 of the Siddha system, which originated in

Tamil Nadu. India has the largest number of Unani practitioners though the

system was born in Iran.

 

The project, called the “Golden Triangle Programme”, is a joint effort by the

Council For Scientific and Industrial Research, Indian Council of Medical

Research and the department of Indian systems of medicine.

 

Ramadoss was speaking to reporters on the eve of the inauguration of the first

National Institute of Siddha at suburban Tambaram by the Prime Minister. The Rs

47-crore teaching and research institute near Chennai has a 120-bed Siddha

hospital. The institute will provide scientific backing to the Siddha system,

the minister said.

 

The Centre is also considering amending the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act to ban

advertisement of “miracle cures” by quacks.

 

source : http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050903/asp/nation/story_5191439.asp