About Himalaya Products
Evidence Vs. Anecdotes
Both are good, but evidence is better
Many, if not most, people first use a Natural Health Product because it was recommended by a person they trust: a family member, a friend, a health care professional, a respected celebrity spokesperson. Indeed, market research has shown time and again that these word-of-mouth testimonials - anecdotes - have been the key factor influencing a person's decision to try a new product or category of products. And many companies marketing natural products have relied solely on anecdotes without conducting the necessary research to prove whether their products actually work.
Science verifies the product's claims...
Some might ask, 'If my neighbor endorses a product, shouldn't that be good enough for me? I trust my neighbor, so why should I care whether the product has been researched in a lab?' The answer lies in the fact that scientific research also deals with that most fundamental issue for products providing health benefits: trust. Science essentially and irrefutably establishes that natural products meet the three quality requirements of any health product: safety, efficacy and consistency. In the absence of a testimonial from a trusted source, science provides objective verification of the product's claims. Most importantly, whether anecdotes are involved or not, science provides the evidence that proves why the product works for your neighbor and why it should work for you, too.
Historically, traditional or herbal remedies seldom qualified under 'pharmaceutical' requirements to prove their safety, efficacy and consistency under rigorous research conditions. In fact, 'pharmaceutical-grade herbal remedies' used to be an oxymoron. For decades, the stringent research, development and manufacturing processes used by pharmaceutical companies in the sterile production of synthetic drugs were thought to be those companies' exclusive domain.
Beginning in 1930, however, 'pharmaceutical-grade herbal remedies' began losing its oxymoronic connotation. With the founding of The Himalaya Drug Company in India 73 years ago, the first steps were made in applying modern Western-style research and manufacturing processes to herbal formulas taken from ancient remedies and refined to meet today's standards and needs.
It takes years and years of work to optimize a given formula, conduct experimental studies, assess acute and chronic toxicity, investigate the mode of action of the constituents, and subject the formula to rigorously controlled clinical studies. Such research is known as primary research, and primary research on the product is the only way to accurately verify that the herbal healthcare product you purchase has been proven to be safe and effective.
Anecdotes and testimonials help build a collective body of knowledge about a product and provide a personal viewpoint about a product's success or failure in delivering what it promises. It is evidence, however, that validates how a product performs for the vast majority of potential users under most conditions. Only evidence, gathered through primary research on the product itself, will provide verifiable information about whether the products you buy can be trusted.
Research and Development
At Himalaya, no investment is too much when it comes to scientifically develop Herbal Healthcare products. The company created a modern R & D facility in India that is one of the best available for traditional - based Natural Health Products anywhere in the world. Over 40 physicians and scientists are constantly at work, developing and evaluating the best herbal formulas for healthy living.
All research conducted at Himalaya is primary research: research and clinical trials on our own proprietary formulas. This ensures that the formulations researched are the same as those made available to you.
Quality Assurance
Achieving consistency is a fundamental goal at Himalaya
Guaranteeing the safety and efficacy of Himalaya Herbal HealthCare products time after time requires stringent methods to ensure consistency from batch to batch and equivalence of each batch with a reference, usually the master formula that has been subjected to all studies. This is no small accomplishment for natural products.
Putting together a few herbs is not so simple. Instead, it requires a lot of expertise to yield satisfactory Herbal HealthCare products. Herbal formulas with the same ingredients may substantially differ in safety and efficacy depending on the quality of the raw materials and the way they have been processed. Very rigid and specific processing rules must be adhered to in order to ensure not only that the tablets or capsules always provide consistent health benefits, but also that they will deliver the benefits proven in the clinical studies.
This is achieved through several carefully controlled steps:
The proper identification and standardization of all natural raw materials. Using state-of-the-art equipment and instrumentation and providing for all necessary adjustments ensures the consistency of the raw materials composition.
Strict processing. Following complex and precise manufacturing practices in modern facilities with today's most sophisticated technology guarantees the benefits of traditional remedies are delivered in a modern, readily acceptable and well researched form.
Chromatographic fingerprinting of the final product. Using this most rigorous quality control tool verifies complete product consistency.
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