Minister of Culture encourages Fitofarmaka to reduce dependence on imported drugs

JAKARTA - Minister of Culture Fadli Zon encourages the development of phytopharmaka as a way to process traditional medicine knowledge into proven health products and reduce Indonesia's dependence on imported drugs.

Fitofarmaka is a natural medicine that has undergone preclinical and clinical trials. Fadli assessed that Indonesia has a large capital in the form of biological wealth and traditional knowledge to develop the product.

"Indonesia has a large capital to develop phytopharmaka as one of the competitive advantages in the health sector, and can be an alternative to our dependence on imported drugs," said Fadli in a discussion to prepare a roadmap for the Traditional Nusantara Medicine System or TAWARUPA in Jakarta, Wednesday, July 22.

According to Fadli, traditional medicine is not just an old practice that is passed down from generation to generation. The knowledge is stored in manuscripts, languages, herbs, body therapies, diets, and the experiences of the perpetrators.

However, its development must be supported by scientific evidence. Safety, quality, protection of biodiversity, and the rights of the community of knowledge owners must also be maintained.

Fadli said that the people of Nusantara have long developed ways to maintain health and adapt to the tropical environment. This knowledge now needs to be documented and tested so that it does not stop as a cultural heritage.

"Knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation must develop into documented knowledge, safe and reliable practices, competitive products, and sources of community welfare," he said.

The Ministry of Culture together with the National Development Planning Agency has drafted TAWARUPA as a national framework for the development of traditional medicine.

Director General of Cultural and Traditional Protection Restu Gunawan said the system would collect various practices of traditional medicine in the Nusantara in a modern, inclusive, and research-based framework.

The roadmap will also involve the Ministry of Health, the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency, universities, industry, health practitioners, and traditional medicine practitioners.

Indonesia has a variety of medicinal plants, herbal ingredients, body therapies, and traditional diets. This potential has not yet been fully connected with research, standardization, production, and the market.

UNESCO's recognition of the healthy herbal culture as a World Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2023 is one of the foundations for strengthening its protection and development.

The Ministry of Culture targets that the TAWARUPA roadmap can serve as a reference to unite cultural preservation, scientific research, security supervision, and the development of health products.