The One Herb, One Standard (OHOS) Initiative

#GS-2 #Governance & Social Justice #Health #Regulatory Bodies #Current Events #National #Ministry of Ayush #Botanical Products

Key takeaways

The Ministry of Ayush and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare extended their partnership under the ‘One Herb, One Standard’ initiative for another 3 years.
The initiative unifies quality and testing standards across 5 medical systems, including Ayurveda, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani, and Homoeopathy.
During its first phase started in 2022, the initiative successfully developed 50 single-herb monographs.
By aligning Indian botanical standards with global benchmarks, the framework boosts foreign trade and ensures safety for herbal products.

The Ministry of Ayush and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare renewed their collaboration under the ‘One Herb, One Standard’ initiative for 3 years.

The ‘One Herb, One Standard’ (OHOS) initiative acts as a joint framework to create uniform, scientifically verified testing standards for medicinal plants across India.

The Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) works under the Ministry of Ayush as a key implementing agency.
The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) functions as an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

This project removes conflicting safety guidelines between different official drug registries to build a single trusted standard for medicinal herbs.
Clear and uniform guidelines boost the quality, safety, and global market trust for Indian botanical drugs.

The initiative standardizes evaluation techniques for the same medicinal plants across the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) and traditional ASU&H Pharmacopoeias.
It advances work after creating 50 single-herb monographs in its initial rollout that began in 2022.
The uniform guidelines apply across 5 recognized traditional systems, including Ayurveda, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani, and Homoeopathy.
It merges global quality benchmarks into domestic specifications so that Indian botanical products easily fulfill international trade rules.
Testing labs, regulatory authorities, and drug makers receive a single clear manual, removing confusing and conflicting laboratory requirements.

Clear rules promote ease of doing business by cutting compliance hurdles and streamlining product testing for exporters.
World-class compliance enhances product safety, builds foreign buyer trust, and expands the export reach of traditional Indian remedies.