Introduction
To harmonise scientific pharmacopoeial standards across all traditional and modern healthcare systems, the Ministry of Ayush and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on 15 August 2026 officially renewed the 'One Herb, One Standard' initiative for an extended period of three years.
Key Institutional Collaboration
The renewal formalises an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between two apex pharmacopoeia development statutory bodies:
- Collaborating Bodies: The Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) under Ministry of Ayush and the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) under MoHFW.
- Phase 1 Achievements: During the initial 2022–2025 phase, the joint committee successfully developed 50 comprehensive monographs on widely utilized medicinal plants.
- Expanded Phase 2 Mandate: Development of unified scientific monographs covering botanical, chemical, and chromatographic testing standards for medicinal herbs across Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homoeopathy.
- Global Export Acceptance: Aligns Indian traditional pharmacopoeial monographs with World Health Organization (WHO) and international pharmacopoeia standards (USP, Ph. Eur.) to boost global exports.
Key Facts
- Initiative Name: One Herb, One Standard (OHOS)
- Nodal Ministries: Ministry of Ayush & Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- Implementing Agencies: PCIM&H (Ghaziabad) & IPC (Ghaziabad)
- Renewal Duration: Extended for 3 Years (2026–2029)
- Phase 1 Output: 50 Joint Monographs developed on medicinal plants
- Target Systems: Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Sowa-Rigpa, Homoeopathy, and Modern Medicine
Exam Perspective
For TNPSC and UPSC examinations, this topic relates to Public Health, Ayush Systems of Medicine, Phytochemistry & Pharmacopoeia, and Herbal Drug Standardization in GS Paper II and GS Paper III.
Conclusion
The 'One Herb, One Standard' initiative eliminates ambiguous drug standards, enhancing the scientific credibility, consumer safety, and global export potential of India's traditional medicine sector.