What is important for us is to work together to utilize the potential that exists across Indonesia.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) Head Penny Kusumastuti Lukito encouraged all parties to synergize to optimize the discovery, development, and utilization of Indonesian natural ingredient medicine.

At a virtual event on traditional medicine on Thursday, Lukito noted that this could be accomplished by making the most of the developments in science and technology.

"What is important for us is to work together to utilize the potential that exists across Indonesia," she emphasized.

Exploring the potential of and documenting empirical data for natural ingredient medicine necessitates collective effort, she stressed.

This could provide additional value from the richness of the country's natural landscape through the discovery and development of natural ingredient medicine in Indonesia.

Development of science and technology could be tapped optimally to explore and improve the quality and competitiveness of Indonesian natural ingredient medicine.

However, empirical data and documented information regarding the efficacy and benefits of natural ingredient medicine is necessary, according to Lukito.

Advanced research and development could then be conducted based on that empirical data.

Such research and development could produce quality jamu (Indonesian traditional medicine) and standardized herbal medicine that had passed the pre-clinical trial and phytopharma that had cleared the clinical trial.

Several regions in Indonesia still have the potential for natural ingredient development that could be processed into quality and standardized herbal medicine, and phythopharma, the BPOM's head stated.

However, such areas of potential have to be discovered and developed in order to proffer the greatest benefits for the prosperity of the Indonesian people.

All stakeholders, including the BPOM, researchers, and entrepreneurs, have to collaborate to optimize the discovery, development, and utilization of natural ingredient medicine.

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Translator: Martha S, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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