Institute of Traditional Medicine needs lab to improve standards

Institute of Traditional Medicine needs lab to improve standards

Traditional medicine products manufactured in Laos may need up to five years in which to improve before they can be sold throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Deputy Director General of the Institute of Traditional Medicine, Associate Professor Dr Kongmany Sydara, said it was unlikely that the quality of traditional medicine products currently made in Laos would meet the criteria of the AEC, which comes into effect at the end of 2015.

“We don't have a good enough laboratory to refine the various substances extracted from medicinal plants. We need to spend at least US$100,000 to create an adequate laboratory,” Dr Kongmany told Vientiane Times this week.

He said the institute will embark on a five year ‘grace period' before marketing its medicines in other Asean countries.

During this time, locally made traditional medicines will only be sold in Laos. In contrast, Laos can import all medicines made in Asean countries that meet the standards of Asean's Traditional Medicine Health Supplements (TMHS).

This week, Asean officials will meet for talks in Bangkok, Thailand, to define a standard for TMHS in anticipation of implementing it the following year.

TMHS will also specify to what extent these products should be advertised and which ones should be banned.

“The false advertising of traditional medicines should be discussed at the meeting in Bangkok,” Dr Kongmany said.

He expects that Singapore and Malaysia will be the first two countries to immediately meet TMHS standards when the AEC comes into effect.

He said that in the pharmaceuticals sector, Laos would fare better by marketing traditional medicine products rather than modern medicines when competing with other Asean countries.

The Institute of Traditional Medicine and pharmaceutical manufacturers have so far developed more than 50 products made from medicinal plants. However, these medicines are sold only in Laos.

“If we want to distribute our products in Asean countries, we must first build a good laboratory,” Dr Kongmany said. “This work needs to start as soon as possible if we don't want to become a one-sided marketplace for Asean countries.”

So far the institute has researched more than 2,000 medicinal plants from all over the country.

This should provide a good supply of raw materials to develop traditional medicine and offers the potential to create extra income for local communities if they grow medicinal plants for supply to local factories and the Asean market.

vientiane  times