The Supreme Court has escalated the pressure on both Patanjali Ayurved co-founders Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna for the company’s allegedly misleading advertisements and petitioner Indian Medical Association (IMA) for its alleged unethical practices in recommending overpriced medications and treatment plans for monetary benefits. The court has instructed the Ministries of Consumer Affairs, Information and Broadcasting, and Information Technology to submit affidavits on their respective positions on the issues raised in the matter. It has also mandated that the National Medical Commission (NMC) and licensing authorities in various states be made parties to the proceedings.
The court emphasized that the scope of the case extended beyond the respondents (Patanjali Ayurved and its co-founders), as other FMCGs also engage in misleading advertising, particularly targeting the health of infants, schoolchildren, and senior citizens who consume their products.
The court expressed concern over the recent misleading advertisements for baby food and children’s products, observing that such practices cannot be dismissed lightly. It directed the Union authorities to provide information on the matter and stated that they should not be let off easily.
Furthermore, the court took strong exception to an August 2023 letter from the Ministry of Ayush advising licensing authorities not to take action against advertisements of ayurvedic, Siddha, or Unani drugs without their approval. The court stated that the letter would be taken into serious consideration and that the ministry needed to provide an explanation.
The Supreme Court has directed the various parties to submit their affidavits within two weeks and scheduled the next hearing for May 7.
