THE DRUGS and MAGIC REMEDIES (Objectionable Advertisements) ACT 1954,
was enacted to regulate advertisements concerning drugs and prevent the promotion of remedies claiming "magic" qualities. Under this act, both Indian and multinational pharmaceutical companies, including those producing Ayurvedic products, have faced action to ensure the quality and honesty of their claims. This oversight is not biased but aims to monitor and maintain the quality standards of pharmaceutical products, whether manufactured by Indian or multinational companies
Nestlé's "MAGGIE NOODLES CASE" serves as a well-known example, where the entire stock was removed from the market and destroyed due to excessive levels of MSG.
Patanjali Ayurved, an Indian multinational conglomerate based in Haridwar, has also come under scrutiny. The Supreme Court of India temporarily banned Patanjali from advertising certain products due to false and misleading health claims. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) filed a case against Patanjali under the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, citing false claims by the company and its brand ambassador, Baba Ramdev. These claims included statements that modern medicine was “stupid and bankrupt science” and spreading misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines (also marketed Coronil tablets as remedy for Covid 19 - removed now ).
Following these incidents, the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority suspended the licenses for 14 Patanjali products, including traditional medicines for asthma, bronchitis, and diabetes, due to repeated misleading advertisements.
Misleading pharmaceutical advertising often includes:
*Exaggerating a drug's benefits
*Downplaying or omitting risks
*Failing to provide a balanced view of risks and benefits
*Misrepresenting study data
*Making unsupported claims
*Omitting material information about the drug
*Making misleading product comparisons
Due to non-compliance with previous Supreme Court orders, the Court issued a contempt notice to Patanjali, its managing director Acharya Balkrishna, and Baba Ramdev.
Following the Supreme Court's judgment, Patanjali took several corrective actions:
Removed 14 herbal medicines from shelves
Asked social media and e-commerce platforms to remove advertisements for these products
Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna apologized in open court for violating the order
Patanjali assured the Court it would refrain from publishing misleading advertisements in the future.
The Supreme Court's decision underscores the importance of consumer protection, particularly for vulnerable populations such as families with babies and school-aged children, against misleading medicinal claims. more
Nestlé's "MAGGIE NOODLES CASE" serves as a well-known example, where the entire stock was removed from the market and destroyed due to excessive levels of MSG.
Patanjali Ayurved, an Indian multinational conglomerate based in Haridwar, has also come under scrutiny. The Supreme Court of India temporarily banned Patanjali from advertising certain products due to false and misleading health claims. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) filed a case against Patanjali under the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, citing false claims by the company and its brand ambassador, Baba Ramdev. These claims included statements that modern medicine was “stupid and bankrupt science” and spreading misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines (also marketed Coronil tablets as remedy for Covid 19 - removed now ).
Following these incidents, the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority suspended the licenses for 14 Patanjali products, including traditional medicines for asthma, bronchitis, and diabetes, due to repeated misleading advertisements.
Misleading pharmaceutical advertising often includes:
*Exaggerating a drug's benefits
*Downplaying or omitting risks
*Failing to provide a balanced view of risks and benefits
*Misrepresenting study data
*Making unsupported claims
*Omitting material information about the drug
*Making misleading product comparisons
Due to non-compliance with previous Supreme Court orders, the Court issued a contempt notice to Patanjali, its managing director Acharya Balkrishna, and Baba Ramdev.
Following the Supreme Court's judgment, Patanjali took several corrective actions:
Removed 14 herbal medicines from shelves
Asked social media and e-commerce platforms to remove advertisements for these products
Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna apologized in open court for violating the order
Patanjali assured the Court it would refrain from publishing misleading advertisements in the future.
The Supreme Court's decision underscores the importance of consumer protection, particularly for vulnerable populations such as families with babies and school-aged children, against misleading medicinal claims. more
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While the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act is an important tool for consumer protection, there have been concerns over implementation and enforcement. Many health products, especially those marketed on digital platforms and through social media, can bypass the traditional media and still make exaggerated claims that mislead consumers. Online and Social Media Advertising: With the rise of digital media and social platforms, the act faces challenges in curbing the reach of these advertisements. A lot of health-related products are advertised on social media, often without proper regulatory oversight. Consumers may come across promotions for products that are not authorized or have not been clinically tested. Need for Greater Awareness: Many consumers may not be aware of the laws protecting them from such misleading advertisements. Increased public awareness campaigns about the potential dangers of following unverified health advice and advertisements can play a significant role in reducing exploitation. more
Nov 15
IMA and drugs and also fssai have to act on what is good for the indians irrespective whether they are foreign multinationals and should be done without any bias and bribes since it involves humans life and govt need to make it a priority since in India human life does not matter and only crocodile tears are shed more
Nov 07
Mr Daniel Maggi was withdrawn because the company refused to pay the bribe to the Food Inspector. Later on it came to light that he was involved in such activities earlier also. As far as IMA is concerned the less we talk the better . They give a lot of endorsements for privileges handed over to them by Multinationals. You have not talked about Hamdard which claims that they have medicines which can cleanse your blood give you Instant energy etc. I fail to understand if Ramdev is running Patanjali , why does it create spasms in people while as they are happy with foreign multinationals or Hamdard etc. People criticised Patanjali for Coronil as there were not extensive tests supposedly proving its efficacy by were OK with Redesivir ( with hardy any trails to substantiate its efficacy). more
Nov 06
Even cosmetic products like talcum powder had to be with drawn, inspite of initial denials, denial mode is the default defence, there are many court orders which are being ignored. Tooth pastes promising sensitive teeth is one of the many such cases. Those advertisements still appear on all platforms. more
Nov 06
