3rd BIMSTEC Conference on Traditional Medicine Concludes in Goa with Four Key Cooperation Areas
The Third BIMSTEC Conference on Traditional Medicine Knowledge, Genetic Resources and Intellectual Property Rights concluded in Goa, marking a significant step toward regional healthcare and bio-resource protection. Organized by the Union Ministry of Ayush alongside the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Goa, the two-day summit brought together official delegations and domain experts from all seven BIMSTEC member states: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
The conference led to unanimous agreement on four priority cooperation pillars: institutional policy framework, standardisation and trade of traditional medicines, documentation and capacity building, and effective implementation mechanisms. Delegates focused on establishing legal protocols for Prior Informed Consent and Equitable Access and Benefit-Sharing to safeguard indigenous community knowledge and prevent wrongful patenting or biopiracy of traditional medical formulations.
India showcased its Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) as a benchmark model for controlled-access documentation that protects ancient healthcare practices against international exploitation. The outcome document, titled the "Goa Conclusions," will serve as the technical roadmap for the upcoming BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence in Traditional Medicine, reinforcing regional collaboration in herbal research, pharmacopoeia standardization, and intellectual property protection.
