On Wednesday, a doctor from Kerala complained to the Centre, accusing Uttarakhand authorities of inaction against Patanjali Ayurved for misleading advertisements of its herbal products despite multiple directives from the Centre and an intervention from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Dr. Babu KV, an ophthalmologist and RTI activist from Kannur, Kerala, filed his first complaint on February 24, 2022, against Divya Pharmacy under Patanjali Ayurved Limited for violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.
The doctor, K.V. Babu, stated in a letter to the Union AYUSH (ayurveda, yoga, unani siddha, and homoeopathy) Ministry that since April 2022, the Uttarakhand Ayurvedic and Unani services department had not taken any action regardless of four directives from the ministry.
Dr. Babu had first requested the AYUSH Ministry to initiate action against Patanjali Ayurved nearly two years ago, followed by multiple pleas. He filed a fresh complaint on Wednesday in which he intended to underline what he views as unwillingness to act against Patanjali.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday curbed Patanjali Ayurved from advertising its herbal products as a permanent cure for certain incurable disorders, saying the entire country is being taken for a ride and the government is sitting with its eyes shut. The doctor's complaint comes a day after this decision.
AYUSH Ministry documents obtained by Dr. Babu show that the ministry had written to the Uttarakhand ayurveda and unani authorities in April 2022, September 2022, February 2023, and May 2023. But, as Dr. Babu mentioned in his complaint, there is still no response from Uttarakhand authorities.
In September 2022, the Uttarakhand authorities asked Patanjali Ayurved to refrain from advertising five products that the company had promoted as treatments for various disorders, flagging violations of drug laws. Patanjali is advertising the products for various disorders, including blood pressure, diabetes, goiter, glaucoma, and high cholesterol levels.
But, Dr. Babu said, the Patanjali still continued to advertise in 2023. He said that central and state government departments have been dragging their feet, and Patanjali Ayurved defiantly promoted its misleading advertisements until the Supreme Court’s observations in November 2023.
Patanjali Ayurved in November denied releasing misleading advertisements, even the day after the Supreme Court warned the company that a fine of Rs. 1 crore would be demanded for every misleading advertisement.
Dr. Babu is a member of a nationwide physicians’ network called the Association of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare. He had in January this year complained to the PMO about what he described as inept handling of the Patanjali issue by the AYUSH Ministry and the Uttarakhand authorities.
The PMO forwarded his complaint to the AYUSH Ministry, which sent another directive to the Uttarakhand authorities, but the state authorities have still not acted on that directive.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Komal Bhoi/MSM)