Uttarakhand Suspends License of Patanjali Products

• 30 Apr 2024

Why in News?

Uttarakhand Government has suspended manufacturing licenses of 14 products made by pharmaceutical companies of yoga guru Ramdev for repeatedly publishing misleading advertisements about their efficacy.

Key Points

• The Supreme Court of India has in recent weeks repeatedly criticized Ramdev for not complying with its directives in an ongoing lawsuit to stop misleading advertisements of some of his traditional ayurvedic medicines.
• The list of 14 products whose licenses were suspended included traditional medicines for asthma, bronchitis and diabetes.
• The case in the Supreme Court relates to the Indian Medical Association's allegations that the firm, Patanjali, disparages conventional medicines and continued publishing misleading ads despite a court directive to stop them.
• Patanjali's advertisements violated the Drugs & Other Magical Remedies Act, 1954 (DOMA), and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (CPA).
• The Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954, regulates drug advertisements and bans promotions of certain magic remedies.
  • It prohibits ads that falsely represent a drug's nature or effectiveness and those promoting drugs for specific diseases listed in the Act.
  • Additionally, it prohibits advertising magic remedies claiming to treat the same diseases.
• Section 89 of the CPA imposes stringent penalties for false or misleading advertisements.
  • It states that any manufacturer or service provider who causes a false or misleading advertisement to be made which is prejudicial to the interest of consumers shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years and with fine which may extend to ten lakh rupees; and for every subsequent offence, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and with fine which may extend to fifty lakh rupees.