Host of the 16th WHO-IRCH Annual Meeting: Indonesia stands committed as Key Global Player in Herbal Medicines

PRESS RELEASE

Jakarta, 14 October 2025 — Chairperson of the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM), Prof. Dr. Taruna Ikrar, M.Pharm., Ph.D., reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to accelerating national pharmaceutical independence through the development of natural-based medicines or phytopharmaceuticals. To drive this initiative, the Indonesian FDA (BPOM) established an Academia–Business–Government (ABG) collaboration framework as a strategic approach to strengthen herbal medicine research and development.

As part of this commitment, Indonesia recently hosted the 16th Annual Meeting of the World Health Organization – International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (WHO IRCH) in Jakarta.

During the event, Prof. Taruna Ikrar emphasized Indonesia’s strong leadership role in the meeting, which contributes significantly to strengthening regulatory systems and opening new market opportunities.

“The 16th WHO-IRCH Annual Meeting marks a strategic moment for Indonesia to play a central role, including in introducing Indonesian herbal medicines and jamu to the world,” said Prof. Taruna Ikrar. “Your presence here reflects our shared commitment to advancing herbal medicine regulation,” he added during the opening session of the WHO IRCH meeting.

Herbal medicine development in Indonesia continues to advance rapidly. The FDA’s ABG collaboration framework serves as a key strategy to strengthen research and product innovation. Academia drives innovation by producing research ideas and advancing product development, while the business sector plays a critical role in funding and ensuring that products meet regulatory standards.

“Indonesian FDA provides the regulatory framework and guidelines to ensure compliance with safety, efficacy, and quality requirements. We also continue to promote the integration of traditional medicines into the national healthcare system,” explained Prof. Taruna.

He further noted that as people become more proactive about maintaining their health, the demand for high-quality, safe, and effective herbal products continues to grow. This presents vast opportunities as well as significant regulatory challenges that no single country can address alone.

As one of the world’s megadiverse nations, Indonesia has a long history of herbal medicine use. Of more than 30,000 identified plant species, around 9,600 are known for their medicinal properties and are used as the main ingredients in jamu. Research evidence suggests that as far back as 31,000 years ago, surgical amputation was practiced in Kalimantan—supported by the use of herbal medicines to aid healing, prevent infection, and provide anesthetic effects.

However, the number of registered herbal medicinal products in Indonesia remains limited. Although over 18,000 traditional herbal products (jamu) have been registered with BPOM, the number of standardized herbal medicines (OHT, Obat Herbal Terstandar) and phytopharmaceuticals remains relatively low—only 71 OHT and 20 phytopharmaceuticals. This indicates that Indonesia’s rich biodiversity still holds tremendous untapped potential for further exploration, development, and utilization.

As the host of this prestigious international forum—attended by 58 participants from 24 WHO IRCH member countries—Indonesia leveraged the momentum to showcase real progress in herbal medicine research, regulation, and downstream development, including phytopharmaceuticals. According to Prof. Taruna Ikrar, the collaboration between BPOM, the WHO, and the pharmaceutical industry represents a concrete step to strengthen Indonesia’s position as one of the global centers for biodiversity-based drug development.

In addition, the meeting—chaired by WHO-IRCH Chair Dr. Sungchol Kim—highlighted Indonesia’s growing influence in setting regional regulatory benchmarks and promoting harmonization in herbal medicine oversight. As part of this effort, a delegation from the World Health Organization (WHO) together with Indonesian FDA visited Dexa Laboratories of Biomolecular Sciences (DLBS) to observe firsthand how Indonesia’s biodiversity-based pharmaceutical research supports the development of Obat Modern Alami Integratif (OMAI). During the visit, Prof. Raymond Tjandrawinata, Director of Business Development and Scientific Affairs at PT Dexa Medica, shared DLBS’s journey in developing natural-based medicines since 2005, using raw materials derived not only from plants but also from animals, such as Disolf, a product developed from the earthworm (Lumbricus rubellus) to help improve blood circulation.

Read the original press release here Indonesia FDA Chairperson Taruna Ikrar Initiates Herbal Medicine Development through WHO IRCH Collaboration

Source: Dexa Group, BPOM TARUNA IKRAR, WHO website 16th Annual Meeting of the WHO International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (IRCH)