Key ingredients: Scientific, safe and honest

Key ingredients: Scientific, safe and honest

Irwan Hidayat, Contributor, Jakarta

"Back to nature". This credo is gaining more popularity in
recent years. This and the abundant information on health
currently available have triggered an increased preference for
herbal medicines. To meet the growing demand, a number of
pharmaceutical companies worldwide have launched various herbal-
based products.

This trend is not only taking place in Indonesia, but, in fact,
several European countries and the United States already started
paying serious attention to the alternative remedies some 35 years ago.

Although in some aspects Indonesia may be lagging behind other
countries, the country is one of the richest in the world in
regards to the number of species of flora. This treasure trove
offers the pharmaceuticals industry here opportunities as well as
challenges at the same time to make the most effective use of the
country's potential in contributing toward public health.

Theoretically at least, with the enormous natural resources of
raw material for herbal medicines available here, Indonesia
should be self-supporting in this sector. Being less dependent on
other countries, obviously huge amounts of money spent on
importing raw materials can be saved. Next, the country's
bargaining position in the global market, especially in the area
of herbal products, is also further improved.

It is time to realize that one of the country's assets -- our
herbal products -- can open up the door to global marketing.
Though some improvement must be made in the technology and
manufacturing methods, this does not pose as a serious problem.
In today's situation where information can be accessed from
almost anywhere, the right kind of technology can be purchased
and even further developed. However, our business people,
especially those with the enterprising spirit, should be creative
as well as persistent.

While taking care of the technology aspect, in the meantime
local manufacturers can export semi-finished products until such
time when fully-finished products with quality of international
standard can be produced by each manufacturer. Without reliable
quality, local manufacturers do not stand a chance of succeeding
in the tough global competition.

Manufacturers of herbal medicines here must fully realize the
importance of the image, both the image of their products and
their company. With new mindset and attitudes, they must strive
to upgrade the image of jamu (local herbal medicine) that is
regarded as traditional and, worse, unscientific. The first step
for them to take is to apply similar standards of good
manufacturing methods of their counterparts, the modern
manufacturers of scientific and research-based drugs.

For manufacturers specializing in the production of herbal and
herbal-based medicines, the government has aptly issued
regulations pertaining to good manufacturing methods of
traditional-cum-herbal medicines. However, it is very much in the
hands of the players in this industry to strictly adhere to them
or, better, even exceed the set standard.

Just like the rest of the pharmaceutical industry,
manufacturers of herbal medicines have to follow the same basic
principals: scientific, safe and honest.

The benefits of each herbal product have to be proven
scientifically, not only based on empiric evidence. The level of
toxicity among its safe-to-consume features should be determined
in the most scientific way to avoid consumers' doubt which may
turn into utter disbelief. False claims or overpromising should
be totally avoided, because, worse than becoming a laughing
matter, they may cause fatalities. Health, apart from being a
human rights issue, is serious business. So only highly committed
players with a real sense of responsibility can enter this
industry.

Only by conscientiously sticking to these principles, can the
herbal medicine producers gain their customers' trust. Like in
every business and relationship, especially where health care
products are concerned, trust is everything. Without it, the
unethical players may ruin the entire industry's image and huge
potential. -- The writer is president director of PT Sido Muncul,
manufacturer of herbal medicines located in Central Java