New Delhi: In connection with the “misleading and false” medicines advertisement by Patanjali Ayurved, The Supreme Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the Centre for not taking any action in the case.
The Supreme Court also issued a contempt notice to the company and its founders Acharya Balakrishnan and Yoga guru Baba Ramdev to explain why they should not face legal proceedings for violating the court’s order about the products and their medicinal effect.
“The central government is sitting with closed eyes,” the Supreme Court said.
The Supreme Court said, The detrimental impact of such misleading advertisements in the entire country.
“This is very unfortunate. The government will have to take some immediate action,” the bench said.
The bench directed Patanjali Ayurved to stop all print and electronic medicinal advertisements of its medicines giving misleading information with immediate effect.
The Supreme Court had in November last cautioned Patanjali Ayurved against making “false” and “misleading” claims in advertisements about its medicines.
The company has been restrained from advertising and marketing the products meant to cure aliments-disorders till further orders.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had referred to several advertisements which allegedly projected the allopathy and the doctors in a poor light, saying that “disparaging” statements have been made by firms, engaged in the production of ayurvedic medicines, to mislead the general public.
The counsel for IMA had said, These commercials say that the medical practitioners themselves are dying despite taking modern medicines.
The Apex Court had in November last cautioned Patanjali Ayurved against making “false” and “misleading” claims in advertisements about its medicines.
“What happened to this Guru Swami Ramdev Baba? Ultimately we respect him as he popularised yoga. We all go for this. But, he should not criticise the other system. You see the type of advertisements accusing all the doctors as if they are killers or something.
Huge advertisements (have been given),” the bench headed by the then CJI NV Ramana, since retired, had said.
The top court had asked the counsel appearing for the Centre to find a remedy to the issue of misleading medical advertisements.
The case underscores ongoing tensions between traditional and allopathic medicine practices, with implications for public health and consumer trust.
