KARACHI – Sindh Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho has launched the results of the double-blind placebo human clinical trials on two famous traditional Chinese medicines, conducted by the Center for Bioequivalence Studies and Clinical Research (CBSCR) at the Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi.
Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho has said that CBSCR at the Dr. Panjwani Center has already conducted over 50 clinical trials on various pharmaceuticals and biologicals as per international standards, while the results of clinical work conducted at this center are internationally registered and published. Sindh Health Ministry is sponsoring the training of young Pakistani doctors in the field of traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as the establishment of TCM clinics in Sindh Government Hospitals, she said.
She was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the successful completion of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinical trials of Houtou Jianweiling Tablets and Fuke Qianjin Capsules in Pakistan, held in the L.E.J. National Science Information Center, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, on Wednesday.
The inaugural ceremony was also addressed by the Vice Chancellor University of Karachi Prof. Dr. Khalid Mehmood Iraqi, Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, ICCBS Patron-in-Chief and former Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Director of the ICCBS, and COMSTECH Coordinator-General, Dr. Aiguo Dai, President Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, China, Prof. Wei Wang, Dean Hunan University, and Prof. Dr. M. Raza Shah, Principal Investigator of the Clinical Trial.
Mr. Aziz Latif Jamal, Chairman of Husein Ebrahim Jamal Foundation, Ms. Nadira Panjwani, Chairperson Dr. Panjwani Memorial Trust, Prof. Dr. Farzana Shaheen, and the members of the Chinese delegation were also present on the occasion.
The lady minister said, “I am pleased that my official visit to China in 2018 has catalyzed tremendous collaboration between various institutions and industries and has led to the establishment of Sino Pakistan Center on Traditional Medicine and initiation of clinical trials at the ICCBS.”
Under the same program, my ministry is sponsoring the training of young Pakistani doctors in the field of traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as the establishment of TCM clinics in Sindh Government Hospitals, she informed the participants.
Later on, the lady minister, accompanied by the Chinese delegates, held a press briefing. Talking to the media, she appreciated the CBSCR for conducting a successful clinical trial of TCM. Sindh Health Department Karachi had directed all the public hospitals across the city to remain on high alert in the wake of a possible risk of monkeypox outbreak as the country confirmed two cases, she told the media.
To a query, the representatives of the Chinese pharmaceutical industry expressed their satisfaction with the process of a clinical trial conducted at the CBSCR, University of Karachi.
Prof. Khalid Iraqi welcomed the Chinese high-profile delegation of researchers, academic leaders, and top industry representatives here at the ICCBS. He emphasized the importance of the CPEC, and said that after years of hard work, China had made remarkable socio-economic progress. He said that the progress of this international center was based on a triangle of academia, government, and private partnership.
Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman said that the cooperation between China and Pakistan in the field of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) had helped strengthen bilateral relations in recent years.
Relations between Pakistan and China have been improving day by day in various sectors including education, research, medical, infrastructure building, and other fields, he observed. He said that the ICCBS was in transition from basic research to highly applied research and public services. He also appreciated Dr. Raza Shah and his team for carrying out quality research work at the CBSCR.
Prof. Iqbal Choudhary said, “Pak-China long-standing friendship is now translating into projects for the benefit of people.”
The ICCBS is the premier research institution of Pakistan, comprising two finest institutions, Husein Ebrahim Jamal Research Institute of Chemistry, and Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine, he said. The CBSR at the PCMD has already completed close to a hundred clinical trials and studies, including six clinical trials on Chinese products, he said, adding that Sino Pakistan Traditional Medicine Center involves the training of 20 Pakistani doctors in TCM practices in China and the establishment of TCM clinics in two hospitals of Sindh Government.
Dr. Aiguo Dai, in his keynote, praised the ICCBS for developing many high-quality service units, including clinical trial centers, which are serving the production sector in the country.
Prof. M. Raza Shah said that TCM was a complete medical system that had been used to diagnose, treat, and prevent illnesses for more than 2,300 years. He also gave a brief presentation describing the results of the clinical trials conducted at the CBSCR.
