Previous

Page - 7

1. Acceptable Product

Raw Materials Perspective

Today, many of the medicinal plants available in the market place are adulterated and are microbial contaminated. This is due to absence of raw-material certification requirements for the industry by the FDA,
and absence of suitable post-harvest technologies, especially related to drying of medicinal plants. It is absolutely essential that ISM (Indian System & Medicines) Department sponsors and promotes regional certification facilities to set gold standards for raw drugs.

An Agmark or ISO-9000 like standard for medicinal plants can be immediately promoted by the ISM Department, to encourage quality awareness in industry and amongst consumers.

The ISM Department can also support consumer research and education organization to undertake consumer awareness campaign based on quality assessment of raw materials and finished products used by the herbal industry.

2. Relevance to Customers

Some contend that the prevailing primary care model such as GPs' clinics is not yet saturated because a lot of people still go directly to tertiary care centers for treatment. Experts believe that there is still a large number of urban rich who visit tertiary care hospitals for "quality" and "the best care".

3. Returns to Customers

This demand for "quality" and Mckinsey's estimate of a "market" corroborates opportunity for growth. But will it actually work in favour of the investors? Some industry observers feel that there is a gap in the primary care segment, the family physician concept may be a deterrent, thus, the returns to customer must be maximized.

High cost of investment and low volumes are other barriers to primary care centers, feel some. While the pioneer of "branded primary care" Max India has not set a very favourable example for other players to enter healthcare beginning with primary care, experts feel it is too early to comment on its success.

Next

* Contributed by: -
Jyoti Singh & Sugandha Bhandari,
PGDBM 2006,
IMT, Ghaziabad.