Global marketing management of herbal products MCQs With Answer

Introduction

This blog provides a focused collection of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on Global Marketing Management of Herbal Products tailored for M.Pharm students enrolled in Herbal and Cosmetic Analysis (MPA 204T). The questions emphasize regulatory frameworks, quality assurance, international standards, supply‑chain traceability, labeling and claims, certifications for export, intellectual property considerations, and marketing strategies specific to herbal medicines. Each MCQ is designed to deepen understanding of practical and scientific aspects required for global commercialization of herbal products, preparing students for academic exams and real‑world regulatory and industry challenges. Answers are provided to help self‑assessment and reinforce key concepts.

Q1. Which WHO guideline specifically provides recommendations for Good Agricultural and Collection Practices for medicinal plants?

• WHO Good Laboratory Practice for Herbal Extracts
• WHO Good Manufacturing Practices for Pharmaceuticals
• WHO Guidelines on Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP) for Medicinal Plants
• WHO Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Guidance

Correct Answer: WHO Guidelines on Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP) for Medicinal Plants

Q2. What does GACP stand for in the context of herbal product quality and supply chain?

• Good Analytical and Chemical Procedures
• Good Agricultural and Collection Practices
• Global Association for Certified Phytotherapy
• General Assurance of Clinical Protocols

Correct Answer: Good Agricultural and Collection Practices

Q3. Which Indian ministry is primarily responsible for policy, regulation, and promotion of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy?

• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• Ministry of Science and Technology
• Ministry of AYUSH
• Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Correct Answer: Ministry of AYUSH

Q4. What is the commonly used term for pharmacovigilance that focuses specifically on adverse effects and safety monitoring of herbal products?

• Bio-monitoring
• Herbovigilance
• Phytochemistry Surveillance
• Natural Product Auditing

Correct Answer: Herbovigilance

Q5. Which certification is commonly requested for herbal product exports to the United States to demonstrate compliance with organic production standards?

• EU Organic Certification
• ISO 9001
• USDA Organic
• Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Certificate

Correct Answer: USDA Organic

Q6. For patent protection of a herbal formulation in many jurisdictions, which two legal criteria are most critical?

• Source and traditional use
• Novelty and inventive step (non-obviousness)
• Market demand and sales projections
• Price point and distribution network

Correct Answer: Novelty and inventive step (non-obviousness)

Q7. Which document is often required by importing regulatory authorities to certify that a medicinal product is authorized for sale in the exporting country?

• Certificate of Analysis (COA)
• Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product (CPP)
• Good Distribution Practices (GDP) Certificate
• Export Packing List

Correct Answer: Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product (CPP)

Q8. Standardization of a herbal product is most commonly based on quantification of which of the following?

• Total extractive residue only
• Bioactive marker compounds
• Microbial load alone
• Color and odor characteristics

Correct Answer: Bioactive marker compounds

Q9. Which ICH guideline is primarily used as the international reference for stability testing when establishing shelf life of herbal dosage forms for global markets?

• ICH Q2: Analytical Validation
• ICH Q1A: Stability Testing of New Drug Substances and Products
• ICH Q7: Good Manufacturing Practice for API
• ICH Q8: Pharmaceutical Development

Correct Answer: ICH Q1A: Stability Testing of New Drug Substances and Products

Q10. Which analytical approach is increasingly used to authenticate plant species and prevent adulteration in raw herbal materials?

• High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) only
• DNA barcoding and molecular authentication
• Visual botanical inspection alone
• Solubility testing in different solvents

Correct Answer: DNA barcoding and molecular authentication

Q11. Which international guidance document outlines Good Manufacturing Practices specifically relevant to herbal medicines?

• WHO GMP for Herbal Medicines
• EU Cosmetics Regulation
• FAO Food Safety Code
• Codex Alimentarius for Spices

Correct Answer: WHO GMP for Herbal Medicines

Q12. The classical marketing mix for launching herbal products internationally is best summarized by which 4Ps?

• Product, Price, Place, Promotion
• People, Process, Performance, Profit
• Plan, Produce, Publish, Purchase
• Policy, Patent, Packaging, Placement

Correct Answer: Product, Price, Place, Promotion

Q13. Which pricing strategy is most suitable for rapidly gaining market share in a price-sensitive emerging export market for herbal supplements?

• Price skimming
• Prestige pricing
• Penetration pricing
• Cost-plus pricing only

Correct Answer: Penetration pricing

Q14. In the European Union, which authority is responsible for the scientific assessment of health claims submitted for botanicals and food supplements?

• European Court of Justice (ECJ)
• European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
• European Medicines Agency (EMA)
• European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) exclusively

Correct Answer: European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

Q15. Which practice is a primary requirement to ensure traceability of bulk herbal raw material through the supply chain?

• Batch numbering and documentation
• Using only local suppliers
• Marketing the product under a single brand
• Reducing product labeling to minimal information

Correct Answer: Batch numbering and documentation

Q16. Which commonly used herbal product is known to induce cytochrome P450 enzymes (notably CYP3A4), potentially causing clinically significant drug interactions?

• Ginkgo biloba
• St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)
• Chamomile
• Ashwagandha

Correct Answer: St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)

Q17. Which document is typically required by importers to verify the chemical quality of a specific batch of a herbal product prior to clearance?

• Certificate of Analysis (COA)
• Marketing Authorization Document
• Product brochure
• Free Sales Certificate only

Correct Answer: Certificate of Analysis (COA)

Q18. Which publication by an international health organization offers monographs and quality guidance on selected medicinal plants used worldwide?

• European Pharmacopoeia Monographs on Botanicals
• WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants
• United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Nutraceutical Compendium
• FAO/WHO Food Additives Series

Correct Answer: WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants

Q19. In many regulatory frameworks for dietary herbal supplements, which type of claim can often be made without prior regulatory approval, provided it is truthful and not misleading?

• Disease treatment claim
• Structure/function claim
• Therapeutic cure guarantee
• Comparative superiority claim against approved drugs

Correct Answer: Structure/function claim

Q20. Which analytical technique is most commonly used to detect and quantify toxic heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and arsenic in herbal raw materials?

• Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis)
• Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) or ICP-MS
• Thin-layer chromatography (TLC)
• Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)

Correct Answer: Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) or ICP-MS

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