AYUSH ministry asks Patanjali Ayurved not to advertise claims about medicine for COVID-19 till issue examined

The AYUSH Ministry said on Tuesday that it has taken cognizance of news in the media about Ayurvedic medicines developed for the treatment of COVID-19 by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, Haridwar and said the company has been asked to "stop advertising/publicizing such claims till the issue is duly examined".

In a release, the ministry said that facts of the claim and details of the stated scientific study are not known to it.

It said 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 directives issued by the central government in the wake of COVID outbreak.

The Ministry had also issued a notification in April stating the requirements and the manner in which the research studies on COVID-19 with AYUSH interventions/medicines should be undertaken.

The release said that Patanjali Ayurved has been asked to provide at the earliest details of the name and composition of the medicines being claimed for COVID treatment, places where the research study was conducted for COVID-19, protocol, sample size, Institutional Ethics Committee clearance, CTRI registration and results from data of the study and "stop advertising/publicizing such claims till the issue is duly examined".

The Ministry has also requested concerned state licensing authority of Uttrakhand to provide copies of license and product approval details of Ayurvedic medicines being claimed for the treatment of COVID -19.

Patanjali Ayurved on Tuesday launched 'Coronil and Swasari' claiming it to be Ayurvedic cure for treating COVID-19 and said clinical trials have shown favourable results.

( With inputs from ANI )