India is hosting the WHO-International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines Workshop from August 6 to 8, 2025, at Hotel Fortune District Centre, Ghaziabad. Organized by the Ministry of Ayush in partnership with the World Health Organization and supported by the Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy, the three-day technical event brings together international regulators and experts to advance global standards in herbal medicine safety and regulation.
The workshop will be inaugurated by Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, and WHO-IRCH Chairperson Dr Kim Sungchol. Delegates from Bhutan, Brunei, Cuba, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, Paraguay, Poland, Sri Lanka, Uganda, and Zimbabwe are attending in person, while participants from Brazil, Egypt, and the USA will join virtually.
The event aims to foster international collaboration, enhance safety and efficacy mechanisms, support regulatory convergence, and empower traditional medicine systems worldwide. Key sessions will include reviews of WHO-IRCH Working Groups 1 and 3, focusing on the safety, regulation, efficacy, and intended use of herbal medicines. Discussions will also cover pre-clinical research, global regulatory frameworks, and safety case studies, with a dedicated session on Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera).
Participants will receive hands-on training in herbal drug identification, heavy metal analysis, and chemo-profiling using HPTLC technology at PCIM&H laboratories. The workshop will also introduce the Ayush Suraksha Programme, a pharmacovigilance initiative aimed at strengthening safety monitoring of traditional medicines.
To provide international delegates with deeper exposure to India’s integrative health ecosystem, site visits have been planned to the Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy, the National Institute of Unani Medicine in Ghaziabad, and the All India Institute of Ayurveda in New Delhi.
With representation from regulatory authorities and technical experts across continents, the workshop is expected to make a significant contribution toward harmonizing global standards and promoting the safe and effective integration of traditional medicine into mainstream public health systems.
