Will the Minister of AYURVEDA, YOGA AND NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY (AYUSH) be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is concerned about the surge of fakeAyurvedic medicines with misleading claims in Indian markets;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has received any complaint in this regard during the last three years; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and the further steps taken by the Government to check sale of such medicines?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYURVEDA,
YOGA & NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY
(SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK)
a) & (b): Yes, Government is concerned about the increasing instances of contravention of the provisions of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules thereunder as well as the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 and Rules thereunder in respect of substandard quality, exaggerated claims and misleading advertisements of Ayurvedic medicines.
(c) & (d): Ministry of AYUSH has received written and online complaints of misleading advertisements of Ayurvedic medicines during the last three years. Such complaints have also been filed in the GAMA (Grievances Against Misleading Advertisements) portal maintained by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA), Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. Ministry of AYUSH has come across 804 instances of misleading advertisements/claims allegedly of herbal/AYUSH products including Ayurvedic medicines during the period from April, 2015 to January, 2018 as reported from the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and the Grievances Against Misleading Advertisements (GAMA) portal.
Contd……….
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To check the veracity of misleading advertisements related complaints, Ministry of AYUSH has repeatedly taken up the matter with the State Governments to appoint Gazetted officers for monitoring of advertisements of ASU&H drugs and it is reported that 22 States have appointed 621 Gazzeted officers to enforce the legal provisions and take necessary action against the defaulters in accordance to the provisions of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules thereunder as well as the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 and Rules thereunder. State Governments have reported to have taken action against the defaulters. Ministry of AYUSH also signed a MoU with Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) for suo-moto monitoring of misleading advertisements of AYUSH drugs appearing in the print and TV media and bring the defaulters to the notice of respective State regulators. Media regulators have also been approached to prevent the publication of inappropriate advertisements promoting sale of Ayurvedic and other AYUSH medicines in public interest. On this account, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has issued instructions/guidelines dated 12th July, 2017 to all media channels to advertise only those products which have valid manufacturing license and to abstain from telecasting such misleading advertisements which are in contravention of the provisions of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 and Rules thereunder.
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