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INTRODUCTION
Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD) has
brought a new awakening about the
hitherto unknown/unrealized potential
on biodiversity, its sustainable use
and fair and equitable sharing of
the benefits resulting there from.
BIMST countries possessing rich biodiversity
are obliged to take legislative, administrative
and policy measures with the aim to
conserve the biodiversity. The BIMST
countries are unable to exploit this
market in the absence of quality control
standardization, international guidelines
in the trade and regulatory aspects
of herbal medicines. It has become
absolutely essential to follow good
manufacturing practices to ensure
product uniformity, quality and high
standards of herbal medicinal products.
Before new approaches are formulated
and policy reforms designed to ensure
sustainable industrial utilization
of medicinal plants, the experts from
BIMST countries have to take stock
of the state of affairs of medicinal
plants from socio-economic, industry
and use perspectives.
JUSTIFICATION
BIMST countries are endowed with rich
flora of medicinal plants and their
health care is primarily dependent
on plant-based medicines. The present
consultative meeting (Expert Group
Meeting) for 3 days will invite medicinal
plants (traditional herbal drugs)
experts from the BIMST countries to
deliberate at common platform to develop
strategies for the benefit of these
countries in promoting sustainable
industrial utilization of medicinal
plants, conservation of biodiversity
and protection of intellectual property
rights.
OBJECTIVES
The proposed Expert Group Meeting
will provide interactive platform
for brainstorming deliberations by
the experts of medicinal plants/herbal
drugs from industry, academia, and
research and from government or semi-government
agencies of the BIMST countries culminating
into recommendations on strategies
to promote sustainable industrial
utilization of medicinal plants, conservation
of biodiversity and intellectual property
rights in this sector of medicinal
plants.
The recommendations of the expert
group meeting will assist formulating
strategies on biodiversity conservation,
IPR and sustainable industrial utilization
of medicinal plants in BIMST countries.
STRUCTURE
OF THE EXPERT GROUP MEETING
This will consist of presentation
of country status paper, deliberations,
and panel discussions on various aspects
of medicinal plants and herbal drug
development with special emphasis
on the promotion of their use in the
national health care programme of
the BIMST countries rich in vegetative
diversity.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Panel Discussion of BIMST-EC for strengthening
regional cooperation on Biodiversity,
Patent Issue, Standardization, Business
opportunities, Process technology,
Strategies and Policies
1.Setting up of nodal centers, identification
of focal points and the coordinator
of the network in BIMST member countries
- Establishment of regional information
network for traditional medicine
and herbal technology (APTMNET)
2.Training of trainers
- Facilitating training of the trainers
in the areas of biodiversity, inventorization
of medicinal aromatic plants, post
harvest technology, agro technology,
standardization of quality control,
processing technology
3.Advisory services towards
- Encouraging adoption of already
prepared monograph on medicinal
plants commonly growing in BIMST
countries
- Co-ordination and harmonization
of regulatory measures
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