Asean Harmonization on Traditional Medicines| Biomed Grid

Term “Traditional Medicines” has two meanings. The first one means all healing methods that are used traditionally by the people as curative, preventive, rehabilitative, paliative and promotive manner for their health. It can be psychological, physical and/or herbal interventions. An exemple of psychological intervention is supranatural approach, while accupuncture and accupressure are the exemples of physical interventions. The third intervention is the use of herbal based on empirical or traditional knowledge of the people so it is also mentioned as traditional medicine. This article is focused on the second meaning of traditional medicine i.e the use of herbal medicine based on empirical or traditional knowledge. In point view of free trade market, ten ASEAN member states have created harmonization on traditional medicines. Several guidelines have been established and two of these are close related to biomedical aspect of traditional medicines i.e Guidelines on Safety substantiation and Guidelines on Claims and Claim substantiations [1]. The aims of harmonization are to harmonize and implement the technical requirements and guidelines for traditional medicines trade so to reduce technical barriers to trade among ASEAN Member States and contributing to the ASEAN Economic integration initiative without compromising the safety, quality and efficacy/claimed benefits of products. According to the ASEAN Agreements the definition of traditional medicine is any product for human use consisting of active ingredients derived from natural sources (plants, animals and/or minerals) used in the system of traditional practice. It shall not include any sterile preparation, vaccines, any substance derived from human parts, any isolated and characterized chemical substances.