Govt seeks facts of claim made by Patanjali about its COVID-19 drugs, bans advertisements

June 23: Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev’s ayurvedic brand Patanjali unveiled on Tuesday, what he calls, the first ayurvedic medicine against the coronavirus. The Corona kit will be made available at just Rs 545, said Acharya Balkrishna, chief executive officer of Patanjali, adding that the kit is for 30 days. Yoga Guru Ramdev said at a press conference in Hairdwar said that the new drugs ‘coronil’ has shown 100 per cent recovery rate within 3-7 days. However, in a statement issued by the Ministry of Ayush on claims of Patanjali Ayurved regarding treatment of COVID-19 on 23 June, 2020, detail information was sought.

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— स्वामी रामदेव (@yogrishiramdev) June 23, 2020

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 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 21 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.

Also Read: Ramdev’s Patanjali launches medicine ‘coronil’ to treat COVID-19, 100% recovery in 7 days!