Directory of Countries with Legislation
| No. | Name of the Country | Legislating Council / Organisation |
| 1 | India | Central Council of Indian Medicine [1] |
| 2 | Pakistan | National Council for Tibb [2][3] |
| 3 | Bangladesh | Bangladesh Board of Unani and Ayurvedic systems of medicine [3] |
| 4 | Sri Lanka | Ayurveda Medical Council [4] |
| 5 | Nepal | Department of Drug Administration (DDA) Government of Nepal [5] |
| 6 | South Africa | National Department of Health. Ministry of Health Government of South Africa [6] |
| 7 | Malaysia | Traditional and Complementary Medicine Division, Ministry of Health [7] |
India
The Indian government has stipulated very comprehensive legislations for Unani education, Unani academic institutions, Unani practitioners and Unani pharmaceutical companies. The Indian Medicine Central Council is a division of Ministry of Social welfare. The Indian Medicine Central Council Act 1970 covers all aspects of legislations for Unani system of medicine. The Indian Medicine Central Council Act 1970 covers and extends all over India and Indian Union territories. The Indian Medicine Central Council Act 1970 has a very specific committee for the Unani System of Medicine. The Unani System of Medicine committee is responsible to handle and implement all the rules, regulations, inspections and vigilance etc. The Unani System of Medicine committee is the only authority to grant permission for the new Unani Medicine colleges and new Unani Medicine Hospitals (Under the guidance of the Indian Medicine Central Council Act 1970).[1]
The Indian Medicine Central Council Act
Pakistan
The National Council for Tibb governs the laws and legislation for Unani system of medicine education, practice, and manufacture of Unani medicines. The council is an integral part of Ministry of Health Government of Pakistan. The National Council for Tibb is also responsible for developing the curriculum, educational institutes for Unani Medicine and standardisation of examination of Unani Medicine nationally and for registration of Unani Medicine practitioners.
The National Council for Tibb has an Act called as “Unani, Ayurvedic and Homeopathic Practitioners Act, 1965”. The above-mentioned act regulates the qualifications and to provide for the registration of practitioners of the Unani and Ayurvedic systems of medicine. The Act clearly states that the Unani Medicine practitioners are not allowed to practice any other system of medicine. The uniqueness about this Act is that it clearly states that no Unani or Ayurvedic Practitioner must use the title as “Doctor”.[3] The Ministry of Health Pakistan and the National Council for Tibb are the regulatory bodies for the qualifications of practitioners. Upon successful completion of Unaniqualifications, candidates are registered with the National Council for Tibb, allowing them to practise Unani medicine lawfully. [2][3]
Unani, Ayurvedic and Homeopathic Practitioners Act, 1965
Bangladesh
The legislator authority for Unani Medicine in Bangladesh is the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and Ministry of Health Government of Bangladesh through the Board of Unani and Ayurvedic Systems of Medicine.[3] The Regulatory Act is termed as “The Bangladesh Unani and Ayurvedic Practitioners Ordinance, 1983”.[4] This board is responsible for maintaining standard educational standards all over Bangladesh (nationally) at teaching institutions, arranging for the registration of duly qualified persons (including appointing a registrar), and arranging for the standardization of Unani and Ayurvedic systems of medicine. Since 1976 a research institute has been functioning under the Board of Unani and Ayurvedic Systems of Medicine, Bangladesh.[3] The Bangladesh Unani and Ayurvedic Practitioners Ordinance prohibit the practice of unani and ayurvedic systems of medicine by unregistered persons. A very unique significant feature of the Ordinance is that it is an offence for a Unani or Ayurvedic practitioner to sign birth, medical, and physical-fitness certificates.[8]
The Bangladesh Unani and Ayurvedic Practitioners Ordinance, 1983
Sri Lanka
The Ministry of Indigenous Medicine with its division named as Ayurveda Medical Council is the main regulatory organization. The Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drugs Corporation (SLADC) council implements the rules and regulations for Unani system of Medicine. The legislation or Act is termed as “Ayurveda Act No. 31 of 1961 as amended by Ayurveda (Amendment) Law No. 7 of 1977”.[4][9]
The act covers the following
- Recommending to the Minister whether any Ayurvedic / Unani teaching Institution should be approved by him for the purpose of the Ayurveda Act,
- Registration of Ayurveda / Unani practitioners.
- Making rules, regulations and control of professional conduct of Ayurvedic / Unani practitioners.[10]
Nepal
In Nepal, there is no pharmacopoeia on Unani Medicine. The regulation of all medicine including the herbal medicine and conventional medicine is in accordance with the Drug Act 2035 of 1978.[11] The regulatory and safety requirements of the herbal medicines are same as that of the conventional medicines, for example the information of ingredients are shown in standard form, using standard GMP practices. For herbal products references of scientific research on the product and its traditional use cited in the literature as well as proof of its traditional use with no harmful effects are necessary. Licensed practitioners sell the herbal medicines as prescription drugs or over-the-counter medicines in the pharmacies.
South Africa
South Africa recognizes the use of alternative and traditional practices and medicine in their country. They had separated the alternative and traditional practices and medicines into 2 groups; African Traditional Practices and Complementary Health Practices. One of the The recognised complementary medicine practices are Ayurveda, chiropractic, homoepathy, osteopathy, naturopathy and Unani medicine.
The Complementary Medicine practitioners are regulated under the Allied Health Profession Act, 1982 (amended). Under this act, it coverage include the registration, licensing schemes and practice standards for various professions (including Unani Tibb Medicine Practitioners).[3] The registered members are allowed to practice as medical practitioners while the non-members are disallowed and will be fine.
Under the Medicine and Related Substances Control Act (Act 101 of 1965),[13] the complementary medicines are not covered since the medicines do not meet the requirements of the current medicine registrations. However, the government has made efforts such as proper research and studies to cater the complementary medicines regulations through the Medicines Control Council.[6]
Medicine and Related Substances Control Amendment Act [14]
Malaysia
The T&CM division of the MOH Malaysia is the main department for registration of the Unani medicine practitioners.[15] Even though the ministry of health Malaysia makes the allopathic system as the official system, however the subsection 1 of section 34 of the Medical Act of 1971 allows any person the right to practice the system of therapeutics as per the Malay medicine system, the Chinese medicine system, the Indian medicine system or other native traditional and complementary systems of medicine.[16] These practitioners are allowed to charge a fee for their services. The Traditional and Complementary Medicine Standing committee was formed in 1998 [17] as a result of this committee the formation of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Practitioner Bodies came into existence which includes the Unani system of medicine under the patronage of PEPTIM (Malaysian Association of Traditional Indian Medicine Malaysia). The National Policy on Traditional and Complementary Medicine was launched in 2001(revised 2007) and in 2004 the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Division (T&CM) in the Ministry of Health (MOH) came into existence.[17] The laws and legislations pertaining to all Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) practices including Unani medicine is under process by the Malaysian Ministry of Health. T&CM Division is now the main functioning department for all the Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) practitioner bodies which in turn helps their respective practitioners to register and help them in obtaining the annual practising certificates.[18]
References
- Central Council of Indian Medicine. Introduction CCIM. [Online]. Available from: http://www.ccimindia.org/introduction_ccim.html [Accessed 28th Feb 2012]
- Shahzad, H., et al. Alternative and Traditional Medicines Systems in Pakistan: History, Regulation, Trends, Usefulness, Challenges, Prospects and Limitations. [Online]. Available from http://cdn.intechopen.com[Accessed 26th March 2012].
- World Health Organizations. Legal Status of Traditional and Complementary/ Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review. Geneva: WHO; 2001.
- The Ayurvedic Medical Council Sri Lanka. Overview. [Online]. Available from: http://www.ayurvedicmedicoun.gov.lk [Accessed 25th April 2010].
- Department of Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Population, Gov. of Nepal. Drug Act. 2035 (1978). [Online]. Available from: http://www.dda.gov.np/drugact.php [Accessed 25th April 2010].
- Department of Health. Ministry of Health Government of South Africa. National Reference Centre for African Traditional Medicines: A South African Model. [Online]. Available from: http://www.sahealthinfo.org [Accessed 25th April 2010].
- Traditional & Complementary Medicine Division. Ministry of Health Malaysia. Misi / Visi / Objektif. [Online]. Available from: http://tcm.moh.gov.my [Accessed 25th March 2012].
- Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. Bangladesh Unani and Ayurvedic Practitioners Ordinance, 1983. [Online]. Available from: http://bdlaws.gov.bd [Accessed 25th April 2010].
- Ministry of Indigenous Medicine of Sri Lanka. Ayurveda Medical Council. Available from: http://www.indigenousmedimini.gov.lk [Accessed 26th March 2012].
- Sri Lanka Legislation. Chapter 116, Ayurveda. [Online]. Available from: http://www.commonlii.org [Accessed 26th March 2012].
- Gewali M.B.. Aspect of Traditional Medicine in Nepal. Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Tayoma, Japan. [Online]. Available from: http://www.scribd.com [Accessed 17th April 2012]. pg. 11-12, 21, 158
- Department of Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Population, Gov. of Nepal. Drug Act. 2035 (1978). [Online]. Available from: http://www.dda.gov.np/drugact.php [Accessed 25th April 2010].
- Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of South Africa. Medicines and Related Substances Control Act 101 of 1965. [Online]. Available from: http://www.nda.agric.za [Accessed 20th June 2012].
- Department Health Republic of South Africa. Medicines and Related Substances Control Amendment Act. [Online]. Available from: http://www.doh.gov.za [Accessed 20th June 2012].
- Traditional & Complementary Medicine Division. Ministry of Health Malaysia. Practice and Registration Section. [Online]. Available from: http://tcm.moh.gov.my [Accessed 20th June 2012].
- Malaysian Medical Association. Laws of Malaysia. Act 50 Medical Act 1971. [Online]. Available from: http://www.mma.org.my [Accessed 20th June 2012].
- Pillay, M.S.. Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Malaysia. International Conclave on Traditional Medicine. New Delhi, India. [Online]. Available from: http://www.niscair.res.in [Accessed 20th June 2012].
- Traditional & Complementary Medicine Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia. Terma Rujukan. [Online]. Available from: http://tcm.moh.gov.my [Accessed 16th May 2012].
