'Misleading claim will attract...': Ayush ministry warns ayurvedic drugmakers after Patanjali's ads debacle

Yoga guru Ramdev and his aide Balkrishna of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd tendered an unconditional and unqualified apology before the Supreme Court.

The Ministry of Ayush reportedly issued a warning to all Ayurvedic, siddha, unani, and homoeopathic drugmakers after the Supreme Court pulled up Patanjali Ayurved Ltd in connection with a misleading advertisements case.

According to News 18, the Ayushi ministry issued the warning, asking the drugmakers to “strictly comply with labelling and advertising regulations”. Failing to adhere to regulations may attract legal action, the report added.

The clarification by the ministry was accessed by News 18, the report said, adding that the warning was related to products that make “unsubstantiated” 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 ministry”.

“Any misleading claim or advertisement in any form or on any platform will attract consequent legal actions by the competent authorities,” the advisory was cited by News 18. The advisory also mentioned details about all laws and rules that cover misleading advertisements in the country.

The ministry reportedly ordered state drug licensing officials to examine all such drugs claiming to be “certified or approved by Ministry of Ayush” – either on their labels or in the advertisements. It further asked the officials to ensure compliance.

‘Ayush ministry has no role in granting manufacturing licences’

The advisory said licensing by the state drug licensing authority “shouldn’t be construed as an approval by the Ministry of Ayush”, the report added.

“It has come to the notice of the Ministry of Ayush that some Ayush drug manufacturers are mentioning ‘certified or approved by Ministry of Ayush’ on the label of their drug or product or in the advertisement in print, electronic media,’ the notice reportedly read.

News 18 further reported that the ministry clarified it has no role in granting manufacturing licences or approvals to any Ayush drug or product.

It even cautioned that going forward, any such claim on the label or advertisement will attract “consequent legal action against the alleged manufacturer by the Ministry of Ayush”.

The advisory further added 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.

The advisory was also sent to the National Pharmacovigilance Coordination Centre, which monitors and designs drug safety profiles, including the release of alerts, in case any drug is reporting new side effects.

According to News 18, the Centre was asked to “ensure reporting of such claims of approval or certification by Ministry of Ayush to concerned State Licensing Authority, under intimation to this Ministry of Ayush”.

The warning came after Yoga guru Ramdev and his aide Balkrishna of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd tendered 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.