Ministry of AYUSH asks Patanjali to stop advertising anti-COVID-19 tablets

Patanjali's Coronil is under the scanner for claiming to cure the coronavirus with a 100 per cent recovery rate and a 0 per cent death rate. The Ministry of AYUSH has asked the company to stop advertising and publicising the product until it can prove these claims.

Earlier today, Yoga guru and founder of Patanjali Ayurved - Baba Ramdev claimed in a press conference today that the medicine 'Coronil' has a recovery rate within 3-7 days. He also stated that all scientific parameters were followed during the development of the medicine and added that he and the company have answers to all questions that may arise about this cure.

Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) took cognisance of the news being recently flashed in the media about Ayurvedic medicines developed for treatment of COVID-19 by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, Haridwar (Uttrakhand). A press release clearly states that the facts of the claim and details of the stated scientific study are not known to the Ministry and has asked the company to stop advertising/publicising the product until then.

The Ministry has also asked Patanjali Ayurved to provide at the earliest details of the name and composition of the medicines being claimed for COVID treatment. The company is also required to submit details of the site(s)/hospital(s), where the research study was conducted for COVID-19; protocol, sample size, Institutional Ethics Committee clearance, 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

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 21st April, 2020 stating the requirements and the manner the research studies on COVID-19 with Ayush interventions/medicines should be undertaken.