Lok Sabha Question No. 146 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-02
Subject: Fake Ayurvedic Medicines
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: ANTO  ANTONY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYURVEDA, YOGA & NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY (AYUSH)

LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTIO N NO. 146 TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 ND FEBRUARY, 2018

## FAKE AYURVEDIC MEDIC INES

## 146. SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

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  wi 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 and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the further steps taken by the Government to check sa 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 provisions of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules thereunder as well as the Drugs and Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 and Rules thereunder in resp ect of sub tandard quality, exaggerated claims and misleading advertisements of Ayurvedic medicines.
- (c)& ( d): Ministry  of  AYUSH  has  received  written  and  online  complaints  of  mislea advertisements of Ayurvedic medicines during the last three years. Such complaints have also filed  in  the  GAMA  (Grievances  Against  Misleading  Advertisements)  portal  maintained  b Department  of  Consumer  Affairs  (DoCA),  Ministry  of  Consumer  Affairs,  Food  &  Pub Distribution . Ministry of AYUSH has come across 804 instances of misleading advertisements/c allegedly of herbal/AYUSH products including Ayurvedic medicines during the period from 2015 to January, 2018 as reported from the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and the Grievances Against Misleading Advertisements (GAMA) portal.

Contd……….

To check the veracity of misleading advertisements related complaints, Ministry of has  repeatedly  taken  up  the  matter  with  the  State  Governments  to  ap pointGazetted  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 defa accordance to the provisions of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules thereunder as well as t 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 brin 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 AYUSH medicines in public interest. On this account, Ministry of Information & Broadcast has issued instructions/guidelines dated 12thJuly, 2017 to all media channels to advertise only th products which have valid manufacturing license and to abstain from telecasting such m advertisements  which  are  in  contravention  of  the  provisions  of  the  Drugs  and  Magic  R (Obje ctionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 and Rules thereunder.

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