Madras HC clarifies import rules for ayurvedic drugs
Sureshkumar.K@timesofindia.com
Chennai : Madras HC has clarified that although no licence was required to import ayurvedic drugs into India, it was necessary that imported products conformed to standards prescribed for similar products manufactured in India. “For such a purpose, it is necessary that such consignments be tested by one of the laboratories accredited to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation,” Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy said.
This process shall be overseen by State Licensing Authority, the licensing authority for manufacture of ayurvedic drugs. All expenses related to such testing shall be borne by the importer. HC passed the order while disposing of a plea moved by Axeon Marketing India, importer of ‘Axe Brand Medicated Oil’ from Singapore. It approached HC, challenging notices for alleged violation of Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
It argued that although the definition of “drug” read with definition of ayurvedic, siddha, or unani drug indicated the statute applied to ayurvedic drugs, provisions related to import of drugs were inapplicable to ayurvedic drugs. The import policy provides that import of ayurvedic drugs may be undertaken “free”, without a licence, the petitioner said. Opposing, import commissionerate said while the Act and the rules dealt with manufacture of ayurvedic drugs in India and prescribed licensing requirements in that relation, licensing requirements had not been specifically prescribed for ayurvedic drugs. In its absence, import of ayurvedic drugs was prohibited.
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