AYUSH Ministry asks Patanjali to stop advertising of its ‘COVID’ drug until issue is examined

New Delhi: The Ministry of AYUSH today said it 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). The Ministry further said facts of the claim and details of the stated scientific study are not known to it.

“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,” the Ministry said.

In order to make the 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.

This apart, the Ministry asked Patanjali Ayurved Ltd to stop advertising/publicising 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.