T h e r a p e u t i c I n d e x 1 Listening to Nature The future of medicine increasingly resembles a science fiction movie—therapy, stem cell-based treatments, assistive technologies, growing a human heart, using robotics to enhance patient care, and even developing a transplantable human kidney from 3D printing! The advances in modern medicine are mind-boggling! In this age of revolutionary, path-breaking treatments, is there room for herbal medicine? The answer quite simply is – yes. The quest for better health care is leading medicine down different paths, and all of them converge at a common point—effective treatments to improve the quality of life for patients. Increasingly, the medical fraternity is realizing that no single system of medicine can provide all the answers. This has sparked engaging conversations across disciplines, and more doctors are receptive to new treatments, new ideas, and new approaches. In the US and other parts of the western world, “Integrative Medicine,” a system of medicine that combines the best of conventional and traditional therapies, is gaining credibility. There is one important caveat. The guiding principle of integrative medicine is that nonconventional therapies must also be validated by research and clinical data. Interestingly, way back in 1930, when Himalaya’s founder, Mr M Manal, set up the company, he was speaking the language of integrative medicine. He had immense faith in the enduring relevance of Ayurveda, India’s 5000-year-old system of medicine. But, Mr Manal knew that wider acceptance for Ayurveda would come only when its safety and efficacy were scientifically established. He had a clear vision for Himalaya—contemporize Ayurveda through research and make it accessible to modern society. More than 90 years later, we continue to live by this philosophy. Himalaya’s products conform to allopathic protocols of drug development, from toxicity and stability studies to phase I to phase IV clinical studies. Each product undergoes an average of 6 to 8 years of research, which includes several clinical studies at leading hospitals. The results are published in Indian and international peer-reviewed medical journals. Quality is an obsession at Himalaya, and we monitor it from the stage of herb cultivation to the finished product. This includes strict compliance with international guidelines for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Harvesting Practices (GHP). We are an ISO 9001:2008 certified company, and follow Good Clinical Practices (GCP), Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), and current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). Himalaya’s scientists push the boundaries of herbal medicine and research on drugs for various health care segments such as renal health and cancer therapy and products for children’s and women’s nutrition and general wellness. These are not easy goals. Expecting herbs to do the job of chemical molecules is most definitely a challenge. Listening to nature requires a great deal of patience. However, we do have our eureka moments. Our launches Immusante and Oro-T Oral Rinse (oncology segment), Quista range of products (nutrition segment), Rumalaya Active Spray (pain management), and Gasex Fizz
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