On March 21, Patanjali Ayurved Limited’s MD Acharya Balkrishna issued an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court for airing misleading advertisements regarding the efficacy of the company’s products and for casting doubt on modern medicine’s effectiveness. This apology came after the court summoned Balkrishna and the company’s co-founder, yoga guru Ramdev, for contempt due to their failure to uphold a previous undertaking regarding product advertising and medicinal claims.
In their affidavit submitted two days later, Patanjali Ayurved and Acharya Balkrishna expressed regret and committed to refraining from similar actions in the future.
Acharya Balkrishna Apologizes for Misleading Advertisements
Acharya Balkrishna expressed regret over Patanjali Ayurved’s advertisement containing “offending sentences.” He pledged to prevent such advertisements in the future, emphasizing the company’s aim to promote healthier lifestyles through Ayurvedic products based on ancient literature and supported by research. Balkrishna submitted an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court for breaching a previous order and assured that such instances would not recur.
In a short affidavit, Balkrishna expressed regret for the company’s advertisement containing misleading claims about curing illnesses like blood pressure, diabetes, and asthma. He acknowledged that these claims violated the 1954 Drugs and Magic Remedies Act and a court order from November 21, 2023, which had instructed Patanjali not to make such claims. Balkrishna apologized for this breach and promised to prevent similar advertisements in the future.
However, Balkrishna also argued that the company had scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of Ayurvedic treatments for diseases listed in the Act. He criticized the Act as outdated, mentioning its last update in 1996 when Ayurvedic research wasn’t as advanced. The specifics of the evidence supporting Patanjali’s claims remain unclear.
Supreme Court Raps Patanjali for Failure to Respond
On March 19, Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah criticized Patanjali and Balkrishna for not responding to court notices regarding potential contempt proceedings. The court was addressing an Indian Medical Association (IMA) plea alleging Ramdev’s smear campaign against vaccination and modern medicine.
The court order, issued on Wednesday, stated that Patanjali’s advertisements, despite the undertaking given to the court in November, reflected endorsement by Baba Ramdev. Therefore, the court deemed it appropriate to issue a notice to show cause why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him for potential violation of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.
This order stemmed from a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), seeking to restrain Patanjali from making false claims about curing diseases and discrediting modern medicine. The Union government was also named as a party in the petition, and the court directed it to respond regarding the action taken against Patanjali for violating the Act.
In response, filed on Monday, the Centre stated that the state licensing authority (SLA) of Uttarakhand is responsible for addressing misleading advertisements by Patanjali. The Centre had previously instructed the SLA on May 22, 2023, to take action and remove Patanjali’s ads. Following the court’s rebuke, on March 8 this year, the state unit was instructed to provide an action taken report.
Patanjali’s Assurances and Market Update
Last year, on November 21, the company’s counsel assured the court of compliance with laws, particularly regarding product advertising and medicinal claims. Meanwhile, on March 20 at 10:00 AM, Patanjali Foods’ shares on BSE were trading 1.2 percent higher at Rs 1,369 per share.
Patanjali explained that the controversial advertisements were approved by their Media Department, which was unaware of the Supreme Court order. They assured that such ads won’t be aired again. They clarified that their aim is solely to encourage people to lead healthier lives by using Patanjali products, which are based on ancient literature and supported by Ayurvedic research, particularly for lifestyle-related ailments.
Patanjali criticized the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act as outdated, noting its last amendment in 1996. The company also highlighted the lack of scientific research in Ayurveda when the Drugs and Cosmetics Act was passed. Patanjali emphasized its commitment to promoting healthier lifestyles through Ayurveda and Yoga, aiming to alleviate the strain on healthcare infrastructure by offering evidence-based solutions for lifestyle-related medical issues.
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