The Supreme Court issued an interim order on Tuesday, imposing a ban on advertisements for medicines by Patanjali Ayurved, as highlighted in the case Indian Medical Association & Anr vs. Union of India and Ors. Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, presiding over the bench, criticized Patanjali for making misleading claims about curing diseases without empirical evidence.
Consequently, the Court ruled that Patanjali is prohibited from advertising or marketing any medicinal products claiming to treat ailments specified in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act.
Furthermore, the Court issued a contempt of court notice to Patanjali’s founders, Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, for disregarding previous court orders by persisting in disseminating false and misleading claims about their products’ curative properties. Balkrishna serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Patanjali.
Additionally, the Court rebuked the Central government for its inaction against misleading advertisements, despite a petition filed on the matter in 2022.
“The entire country has been taken for a ride! For two years, you wait when the Drugs Act says this is prohibited,” the Court remarked.
During the hearing, the bench, comprising Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah, addressed a plea filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) regarding a smear campaign against the COVID-19 vaccination drive and modern medicine by the self-styled yoga guru and his company. Previously, in November, the Supreme Court warned of imposing heavy costs for false claims made in Patanjali Ayurved advertisements purporting to cure diseases. The bench emphasized the need to move beyond the debate between allopathy, modern medicine, and Ayurvedic products.
Senior Advocate PS Patwalia, representing IMA, raised concerns about misleading advertisements and a press conference held by Ramdev regarding remedies for blood pressure, which denigrated allopathy. Senior Advocate Vipin Sanghi, representing Patanjali, sought instructions when asked to justify the ads. However, the Court expressed eagerness to restrain further advertisements.
In August 2022, the Supreme Court questioned Ramdev regarding his attempts to discredit allopathy and its practitioners during the pandemic. The IMA has initiated several criminal proceedings against Ramdev for such statements. Advocate Prabhas Bajaj appeared for IMA along with Senior Advocate Patwalia, while Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj represented the Central government. Advocate Mrinmoi Chatterjee represented the National Association of Pharmacology and Therapeutics as an intervenor in the case.
