New Delhi, April 30, 2024: The Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority under Rule 159(1) of The Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, has moved to suspend the manufacturing licenses for 14 products of Patanjali, effective immediately.
This action comes in the wake of a series of legal battles surrounding the multinational company’s advertising practices, particularly its claims against evidence-based medicine.
In addition, the Uttarakhand licensing body has issued a formal apology before the Supreme Court regarding its previous handling of the matter. The body acknowledged its shortcomings in addressing the misleading advertisements propagated by Patanjali Ayurved, particularly those undermining evidence-based medicine and the COVID-19 vaccination drive.
An affidavit filed by the licensing authority expressed remorse and outlined its efforts to rectify the situation.
In response to a plea filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the Supreme Court had earlier criticized the Uttarakhand government and the licensing body for perceived negligence in reigning in Patanjali’s advertising practices. The affidavit submitted by the Uttarakhand body emphasized its commitment to taking decisive action against Patanjali Ayurved Limited to uphold regulatory standards.
Moreover, the affidavit tendered an unconditional apology for any inadvertent non-compliance with the directives of the Supreme Court and reiterated the suspension of manufacturing licenses for Patanjali’s products.
The Supreme Court had previously warned of imposing hefty fines for false claims made in Patanjali’s advertisements and had directed the company to cease such practices. Despite initial dissatisfaction with the apology affidavits filed by Patanjali Ayurved and its founders, Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, subsequent efforts were made to rectify the situation, including the publication of apologies in newspapers.
The matter is scheduled for further deliberation by a Bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah today, on April 30.