ABSTRACT
Central Government vide its Order of even number dated 14.10.2005 has made testing for heavy metals, namely, Arsenic, Lead, Mercury and Cadmium mandatory for export purposes in respect of every batch of purely herbal Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicines by every licensee. However, the manufactures shall continue to provide corresponding botanical names to the state Drug Licensing Authorities as part of the license application. Ayurvedic system of medicines in accordance with the formulae given in the authoritative books specified in the first Schedule to the Drugs and Cosmetic Act and sold under a generic name are fully exempt from excise duty under notification No. 75/94-CE, dated the 29th March, 1944. The benefit of exemption from excise duty is being denied on the ground that such medicaments are not strictly being manufactured as per the standard text-books which is a condition prescribed under the said notification.
