The Supreme Court issued an interim order on Tuesday, imposing a ban on advertisements for medicinal products by Patanjali Ayurveda. The bench, comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, accused Patanjali of misleading the public by making unverified claims about the curative properties of their medicines. The court not only prohibited Patanjali from advertising or marketing products for specified ailments but also issued a contempt of court notice to its founders, Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, for disregarding previous orders.
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The Supreme Court’s decision comes in response to a plea filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), alleging a smear campaign by Patanjali and its founders against the COVID-19 vaccination drive and modern medicine. The court expressed displeasure at Patanjali’s persistent false claims, stressing that the company cannot be allowed to mislead the public with unproven medical assertions.
Furthermore, the court rebuked the Central government for not addressing the issue of misleading advertisements despite the petition being filed in 2022. Justices Kohli and Amanullah criticized the government for its inaction, stating, “The entire country has been taken for a ride! For two years you wait when Drugs Act says this is prohibited?”
Source: National Herald
The court had previously warned Patanjali in November, threatening to impose hefty fines of ₹1 crore for each false claim made in their advertisements. The bench emphasized that the matter should not be reduced to a debate between allopathy/modern medicine and Ayurvedic products. Instead, a solution was sought regarding misleading medical advertisements.
During the recent hearing, Senior Advocate PS Patwalia, representing IMA, raised concerns about misleading claims made by Patanjali, particularly during a press conference by Ramdev baba regarding remedies for blood pressure. The court was informed that Ramdev baba held a press conference the day after the last court order, perpetuating false information about allopathy.
Source: Siasat
When asked about the AYUSH Ministry’s stance, Patwalia argued that there was no room for regulation, as Patanjali had no grounds to claim a cure for blood pressure issues. Senior Advocate Vipin Sanghi, representing Patanjali, sought time for instructions when asked to justify the ads. However, the court expressed its determination to restrain further misleading advertisements.
This is not the first time Patanjali and its founders have faced legal scrutiny. In August 2022, the top court questioned Ramdev on his attempts to discredit allopathy and its practitioners during the coronavirus pandemic. The IMA has initiated multiple criminal proceedings against Ramdev, emphasizing the need for action against repeated false statements.
Source: Business Today
Advocate Prabhas Bajaj represented IMA during the hearing, while Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj appeared for the Central government. Advocate Mrinmoi Chatterjee represented the National Association of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, intervening in the case.
