53 Violations of Drug Laws by Patanjali's Misleading Advertisements: RTI Activist Demands Action

New Delhi: Pointing out that there were altogether 53 violations of drug laws by Patanjali for misleading ads of various drugs, Kannur-based health activist Dr. Babu KV  has demanded action in this regard.

These instances of violation were confirmed by the Union Minister for AYUSH, Sarbananda Sonowal, while responding to a question raised in the Rajya Sabha on March 28, 2023, by MP V Sivadasan.

While replying to the query regarding five banned drugs of Patanjali including Divya Madhugrit, Divya Eyegrit Gold, Divya Thyrogrit, Divya BPgrit and Divya Lipidom, the AYUSH Minister had confirmed that "Objectionable advertisements are being reported to the respective State Licensing Authorities by PPvC at regular intervals. 15 instances of misleading advertisements against Madhugrit, 10 instances against Eyegrit Gold, 3 against Thyrogrit, 18 against BPgrit and 7 against Lipidom have been reported by respective peripheral pharmacovigilance centers during the past 8 months. Simultaneously these communications were sent to the respective state licensing authorities by the peripheral pharmacovigilance centers to initiate suitable action."

"In the year 2022, Ministry of Ayush had forwarded advertisements of Divya Madhugrit, Divya Lipidom, Divya Eyegrit Gold and Divya BPgrit to Ayurveda & Unani Services, State of Uttarakhand to examine the matter for withdrawal of advertisements," the Ayush Minister had further informed.

Dr. Babu KV has been raising the issue concerning illegal drug promotion by Divya Pharmacy- which is promoted by Yoga guru Baba Ramdev. Until now, he has filed more than 100 RTI applications and complaints to various government authorities to halt such misleading advertisements.

Last year, on 07.05.2022, an authorised representative of Divya Pharmacy had informed Dr. Babu that "Further, it is submitted that taking note of your captioned notice(s), the undersigned has immediately stopped publication of the impugned advertisements "

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Meanwhile, in December 2022, Dr. Babu had written to AYUSH Minister and sought intervention of more lawmakers in this regard. Recently, in a letter directed to Lok Sabha MP Shri Karti P Chidambaram, AYUSH Minister Sarbananda Sonowal mentioned in February 2023 that the "State Licensing Authority, Uttarakhand has been directed to take appropriate action as deemed fit in the aforementioned matter in light of the Drugs and Magical Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, and rules thereunder."

Stating that the matter is pending before the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority, Dr. Babu, an ophthalmologist told Medical Dialogues, "My complaints have been pending with the GOI since February 2022 & the state licensing authority of Uttarakhand since April 2022. After the initial communication from the Ministry of Ayush recommending action against Divya Pharmacy on 15th April 2022, both the SLA Uttarakhand & the Ministry of Ayush were misusing an unrelated subjudice nature of Rule 170, thereby avoiding action against the Ads & allowing them to repeatedly violate the DMR(OA) Act 1954."

"Now it is clear from the reply to the Law Makers Karti P Chidambaram & Dr V Sivadasan that there were 53 violations of the drug laws by Patanjali & it is actionable. I demand appropriate action from the SLA of Uttarakhand for the violation of drug laws. So also, both the Government of India & Uttarakhand state officers, who allowed Patanjali to continuously violate the drug laws should be punished," he further mentioned.

Until now, Dr. Babu has filed complaints with the Ayush Ministry, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Drugs Controller General of India, and the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority against misleading advertisements by the pharmacy.

Also Read: Soon: Patients may be allowed to appeal to NMC on negligence, misconduct, Health Ministry proposes amendments