National Policy on Traditional Medicine and Regulation of Herbal Medicines - Report of a WHO Global Survey: 1. Introduction: 1.3 Global database

National Policy on Traditional Medicine and Regulation of Herbal Medicines - Report of a WHO Global Survey
(2005; 168 pages)

Índice de contenido

	Acknowledgements
	Executive summary
	Acronyms, abbreviations and definitions
	WHO Regions
	1. Introduction
		1.1 Background
		1.2 WHO Global Survey
		1.3 Global database
	2. National policy on traditional medicine and complementary/alternative medicine
		2.1 National policy on TM/CAM
		2.2 Laws or regulations on TM/CAM
		2.3 National programme on TM/CAM
		2.4 National office for TM/CAM
		2.5 Expert committee on TM/CAM
		2.6 National research institutes
	3. The regulatory situation of herbal medicines
		3.1 Law or regulation on herbal medicines
		3.2 Regulatory status of herbal medicines
		3.3 Claims
		3.4 Pharmacopoeias
		3.5 Monographs on herbal medicines
		3.6 Manufacture of herbal medicines
		3.7 Safety and herbal medicines
		3.8 Registration system for herbal medicines
		3.9 Herbal medicines and the essential drug list
		3.10 Post marketing surveillance of herbal medicines
		3.11 The sale of herbal medicines
		3.12 Annual market sales of herbal medicines
	4. Member States, WHO and herbal medicines
		4.1 Main difficulties faced by countries
		4.2 WHO support
		4.3 Survey results
	5. Country summaries
		5.1 WHO African Region
		5.2 WHO Region of the Americas
		5.3 WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region
		5.4 WHO European Region
		5.5 WHO South-East Asia Region
		5.6 WHO Western Pacific Region
	References
	Annex 1. Text of survey instrument

1.3 Global database

Using the collected data and information from the Global Survey, a WHO global database was created. The purposes of the database are to:

• collect and update country information on national TM/CAM policy and regulation of herbal medicines

• share information and experience of national policy on TM/CAM and regulation of herbal medicines to facilitate the establishment of relevant national policy and regulations

• monitor country progress in the field of TM/CAM, particularly that relating to the safe and effective use of herbal medicines

• identify the most difficult areas in countries and the kinds of assistance and support which Member States need from WHO

• continue updating the information in the future.

The information in the database is listed under 21 qualitative and quantitative structural indicators, which are intended to assess the situation of TM/CAM policies and herbal medicine regulation. Analysis of the survey results will provide the basis for further development of a comprehensive set of indicators, including background and process indicators, for the monitoring of national TM/CAM policies and herbal medicine regulation.

Utilization

In the database, users will be able to find not only the countries’ replies to the questionnaire, but also the detailed information on the laws and regulations themselves, as well as further regulatory requirements, monographs and pharmacopoeias. Unfortunately, these details have not been translated into English because of lack of funds.

Finally, after consultation with national drug authorities, it was decided to open the WHO global database only to the national health authorities at present, not to the general public.

WHO plans to continue to update and expand the database. A second survey will be undertaken in the near future, upon the completion of the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy.

Dr Xiaorui Zhang
Coordinator of Traditional Medicine
Department of Technical Cooperation for
Essential Drugs and Traditional Medicine
World Health Organization
Geneva
Switzerland