Patanjali has violated the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act repeatedly which eventually led to suspension of its 14 products.
Indians still believe in magic remedies, which helped Patanjali to develop such a huge brand all across the nation. However, every wrongdoing has an end. The same fate happened to Patanjali products. In this article, we will discuss banned products, controversy related to it and ongoing case.
Uttarakhand licencing authority filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court notifying the suspension on 13 products manufactured by Divya Yoga Pharmacy due to the misleading advertisements case.
The affidavit of the state, filed through Dr. Mithilesh Kumar, joint director of State Licensing Authority, Ayurvedic and Unani Services, said that: “In an order issued on April 15, 2024, to Divya Pharmacy and Patanjali Ayurved Limited, it was conveyed that the manufacturing licences for 14 products were suspended with immediate effect. The suspension took place for repeated violations of regulations, particularly concerning misleading advertisements, under Rule 159(1) of The Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945.”
Moreover, the drug inspector/district ayurvedic and unani officer, Haridwar, had filed a criminal complaint against Mr. Ramdev, Acharya Balkrishna, Divya Pharmacy and Patanjali Ayurved Limited under sections 3, 4 and 7 of the DMR Act on April 16, 2024.
These drugs suspended are Swasari Gold, Swasari Vati, Bronchom, Swasari Pravahi, Swasari Avaleh, Mukta Vati Extra Power, Lipidom, Bp Grit, Madhugrit, Madhunashini Vati Extra Power, Livamrit Advance, Livogrit, Eyegrit Gold and Patanjali Drishti Eye Drop.
Previously, the affidavit was filed in response to a plea filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) against Patanjali and its founders for a misleading campaign against the COVID-19 vaccination drive. Ramdev made derogatory remarks against modern medicine labelling it as “stupid and bankrupt science.”
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) strongly criticised his claims. “He went against the national interest when the government was driving the vaccination programme. He said 20,000 doctors died after taking two doses of the Covid vaccine. And he was having such a high profile that you know people believed what he said. That was the unfortunate part of it,” IMA president Dr R V Asokan said.
Both Ramdev and Balkrishna, issued an “unconditional and unqualified apology” in 67 publications. However, the fonts were very small. For which the founders were criticized by the supreme court.
“Is the apology the same size as your advertisements? When you issue an apology, it does not mean that we have to see it by a microscope...It does not have to only be in papers but is meant to be read...somebody in the dock has to come clean,” a bench of justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah said.
Later they rectified it. “In wake of an ongoing matter before the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, we in our individual capacity as well as on behalf of the Company, unconditionally apologise for the non-compliance or disobedience of directions/orders of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India,” the new “unconditional public apology” by Patanjali came with more bigger fonts.
“We must clarify that we aren’t here to gun for a particular company or authority. Our endeavour is to act in the public interest against FMCGs and drug companies that have been misleading the public. It’s a part of the process of the rule of law,” emphasised the bench during the hearing.
