The Ministry Of Industry Strengthens The Quality Of Natural Medicines Through Laboratory Networks

Head of the Standardization and Industrial Services Policy Agency (BSKJI) of the Ministry of Industry Andi Rizaldi (Photo: Doc. Ministry of Industry)

The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) strengthens the quality and safety of natural medicines through collaboration with the Natural Medicine Testing Laboratory Network (JLPOBA), which consists of units under the auspices of BPOM, as well as four other laboratories.

Head of the Standardization and Industrial Services Policy Agency (BSKJI) of the Ministry of Industry Andi Rizaldi said the collaboration was carried out to optimize the potential for the development of natural medicinal products whose raw materials came from Indonesia.

"Indonesia's natural wealth with very high biodiversity and thousands of species that have the potential to become medicinal ingredients, provides opportunities for the development of natural medicines," he said.

He explained that the laboratory development cooperation was carried out by the Ministry of Industry through the Center for Standardization and Services for Chemical, Pharmaceutical, and Packaging Industries (BBSPJIKFK) together with the BPOM National Food and Drug Testing Development Center (PPPOMN), the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) laboratory, Gadjah Mada University laboratory, PT. Prima Spectra Accountability, and PT Vicmalab Indonesia.

Andi said the laboratory network was formed with the aim of combining the laboratory's ability to test natural drugs in Indonesia in supporting the supervision of circulating products, as well as a forum for exchanging information between testing laboratories.

On the other hand, the Head of BBSPJIKFK of the Ministry of Industry, Siti Rohmah Siregar, said that his party is ready to support and play an active role in implementing these laboratory network programs and activities, so as to increase public confidence in using locally made medicinal products.

"By joining JLPOBA, we hope to provide benefits for the development of the natural medicine industry in Indonesia so that the products produced can consistently provide good benefits, security, and quality so that in the end it can increase public confidence in natural ingredients for local production," said Siti.

The Ministry of Industry noted that currently there are several components of natural medicinal industry companies in Indonesia, such as Small Business for Traditional Medicines (UKOT), Traditional Medicine Micro Business (UMOT), Natural Material Extraction Industry (IEBA), and Traditional Medicine Industry (IOT), which have produced 17,000 natural ingredients in the herbal class, 79 types of standard herbal medicines and 22 types of phytopharmaca.