New Delhi: Prompted by the Supreme Court’s reprimand to Patanjali Ayurved Limited for false claim, the ministry of Ayush has warned all Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani, and Homoeopathic drugmakers to desist from issuing misleading advertisements and stick to standard norms in course of marketing their medicinal preparations.
In separate letters to various firms dealing in Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathic medicines, the Ayush ministry said that those failing to abide by the statutory regulations might invite strict legal action.
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In the advisory, which was accessed by a section of media, it was stipulated that the warning was pertained to products that make “unverified” claims or display false information, such as featuring a “green logo” claiming to be “100% vegetarian” or falsely stating that the drug is “approved or certified by the authority”.
The advisory further said that any misleading claim or any form of advertisement on any media or social media platform will invite appropriate legal action from the competent authorities. It also contained related laws and rules under which the action can be taken against the firms for issuing misleading advertisements.
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It has also been reported that the state drug licensing authorities across the country have been directed to conduct surprise checks and examine such drugs, which claimed to be certified by the ministry of Ayush on their labels or in the advertisements. They have been told to take appropriate legal action against such practice.
The ministry said that it had no role in granting manufacturing licenses for drugs or to any firms of traditional medicines. “If the state drug authorities give license to prepare specific medicine, it shall not be deemed that the same has been approved by the Ayush ministry,” the advisory said, adding that it has come to the ministry’s notice that a few Ayush drug manufacturers are claiming that the drugs have been certified or approved by the Ayush ministry.
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In the advisory, which was sent to the National Pharmacovigilance Coordination Centre (NPCC), it was stated that the licence issued by a state authority is only permission to manufacture or sell a particular drug or product based on the fulfilment of conditions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. NPCC is the agency which monitors and designs drug safety profiles, including the release of alerts, in case any drug is reporting new side effects.
The advisory, warning manufacturers and marketeers of traditional medicines, was issued after Yoga guru Ramdev and his aide Balkrishna of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd had to offer an “unconditional and unqualified apology” before the Supreme Court over advertisements issued by the firm making tall claims about the medicinal efficacy of its products.
