Ayush Ministry asks Patanjali to stop publicity of its COVID-19 drug
( Media Swaraj Desk)
New Delhi , 23 June , 2020.
Government of India has stopped the Patanjali Ayurved run by Swami Ram Dev from publicising its claim on discovery of new drug to treat Covid 19 . Ayush Ministry has also called for details of composition of this medicine for thorough examination as per rules and regulations.
It appears that Patanjali has not followed government rules and practically the new medicine can not be sold till proper government approval.
An official statement says , “Ministry of AYUSH has taken cognizance of the news being recently flashed in the media about Ayurvedic medicines developed for treatment of COVID-19 by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, Haridwar (Uttrakhand). Facts of the claim and details of the stated scientific study are not known to the Ministry.”
The statement further says , “ the concerned Ayurvedic drug manufacturing company has been informed that such advertisements of drugs including Ayurvedic medicines are regulated under the provisions of Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 and Rules thereunder and the directives issued by the Central Government in the wake of COVID outbreak.”
Ministry had also issued a Gazette Notification No. L.11011/8/2020/AS dated 21st April, 2020 stating the requirements and the manner the research studies on COVID-19 with Ayush interventions/medicines should be undertaken.
In order to make this Ministry aware of the facts of the aforesaid news and verify the claims, Patanjali Ayurved Ltd has been asked to provide at the earliest details of the name and composition of the medicines being claimed for COVID treatment; site(s)/hospital(s), where the research study was conducted for COVID-19; protocol, sample size, Institutional Ethics Committee clearance, CTRI registration and results data of the study (ies) and stop advertising/publicizing such claims till the issue is duly examined.
Ministry has also requested concerned State Licensing Authority of Uttrakhand Government to provide copies of license and product approval details of the Ayurvedic medicines being claimed for the treatment of COVID -19.
