AYUSH ministry issues advisory prohibiting ASU manufacturers from misleading advertisements

The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) has issued an advisory to all the Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani (ASU) drug manufacturers against misleading advertisements and claims of ASU drugs. It has also allowed all state licensing ASU authorities to take necessary action against ASU manufacturers who are found circulating misleading information.

The issued advisory by Dr DC Katoch, Advisor, Ayurveda and Head Durg Policy Section informed that recently certain instances of ambiguous classical/ shastriya ASU drugs have been brought to the notice of the Central Government which appear to be in contravention of the legal provisions. 

“All the drug manufacturers of ASU in the country are hereby advised not to make and publicise any inappropriate statement or misleading claims against clasical/ shastriya ASU Drugs. And the state/UT licensing authorities/drug controller may take necessary action on the instances of denigrating classical ASU formulations in terms of name and use amounted to misleading in nature under the provisions of Drugs and Magic Remedies Act ( Objectionable Advertisement) Act 1954 and Drugs and Cosmetics Rule 1945,” stated the issued advisory.

Prof Bejon Kumar Misra, Founder of Patient Safety and Access and HamaraAYUSH.org, said, “It is the right step taken by the Ministry of AYUSH, but needs a robust surveillance mechanism in place to ensure prompt action on all deceptive and misleading advertisements making false medicinal claims. It is observed that unscrupulous manufacturers get away because of delays in initiating action to protect innocent consumers and the penalties levied are insignificant and not deterrent. Hefty penalties should be slapped with provisions for the closure of the factory.”

He further emphasised, “We need urgently a new law to govern such issues as the existing laws are lenient and mild towards the culprits. We need to engage with organisations like ASCI to facilitate the regulator to monitor such violations rather than AYUSH-driven existing monitoring systems.”