Patanjali Ayurved halts sales of 14 products after licensing suspension

Patanjali Ayurved, led by yoga guru Ramdev, has ceased the sale of 14 products following the suspension of their manufacturing licenses by the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority for Ayurvedic and Unani Services in April.

The company made this announcement to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, indicating compliance with the regulatory directive due to violations of the 1945 Drugs and Cosmetic Rules.

The suspended products include Swasari Gold, Swasari Vati, Bronchom, Swasari Pravahi, Swasari Avaleh, Mukta Vati Extra Power, Lipidom, Bp Grit, Madhugrit, Madhunashini Vati Extra Power, Livamrit Advance, Livogrit, Eyegrit Gold, and Patanjali Drishti Eye Drop.

In response to the suspension, Patanjali Ayurved has directed its 5,606 franchise stores to withdraw these items from their shelves. Additionally, the company has instructed media platforms to pull advertisements for these products.

The Supreme Court has requested Patanjali Ayurved to submit an affidavit within two weeks, confirming that social media intermediaries have complied with the withdrawal of advertisements for the affected products. The case is scheduled for a subsequent hearing on July 30.

This development comes in the wake of a petition by the Indian Medical Association, accusing Patanjali Ayurved of conducting a "smear campaign" against modern medicine and the COVID-19 vaccination drive.

The Supreme Court, in a previous hearing on April 10, had demanded detailed affidavits from current and former officials of the Uttarakhand licensing authority, explaining their inaction against Patanjali for misleading advertisements under the Drugs and Magic Remedies Objectionable Advertisements Act.

Furthermore, the court reprimanded Ramdev and the company's Managing Director, Balkrishna, for an advertisement released on December 4, despite a prior commitment on November 21 to refrain from making unverified claims about medicinal efficacy or disparaging other medical systems.

Although Balkrishna issued an "unqualified apology" on March 20, expressing respect for the rule of law and pledging to avoid such advertisements in the future, the court dismissed the apology as insincere.

In a related move, the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority informed the court on April 29 that it had lodged a criminal complaint against Patanjali Ayurved, Ramdev, and Balkrishna for breaching the Drugs and Magic Remedies Objectionable Advertisements Act. The ongoing legal scrutiny underscores the regulatory challenges faced by Patanjali Ayurved amidst its expansive operations.