According to DCA, the unverified health benefits often deceive consumers, leading them to make potentially harmful health decisions.
Published Nov 27, 2024 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 27, 2024 | 7:00 AM
Telangana DCA targets health claims without evidence.
The Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) heightened its efforts to check the circulation of Ayurvedic medicines that make unsubstantiated health claims.
This crackdown follows increasing concerns about the potential risks of such products, particularly those promising cures for serious health conditions without any scientific backing.
According to DCA, the unverified health benefits these medicines promote often deceive consumers, leading them to make potentially harmful health decisions.
In particular, Ayurvedic products falsely advertising themselves as cures for conditions such as rheumatism, diabetes, fevers, kidney stones, and eye disorders are at the centre of the DCA’s investigation.
These deceptive marketing practices undermine public trust in healthcare and violate the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act of 1954 (DMR Act), which prohibits advertising certain drugs for treating specific diseases without appropriate evidence of efficacy.
DCA officials conducted a series of raids, uncovering several products found to be in violation of the law. Among the seized items were Ayurvedic medicines and an allopathic product that had been marketed with dubious claims regarding their healing properties.
“These products were found to be making unapproved claims about treating conditions like rheumatism, general fevers, diabetes, kidney stones, and eye disorders, all of which are prohibited under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954,” said DCA.
Since the last few months, this trend has continued. In previous operations, the DCA had also uncovered several other Ayurvedic products making misleading claims:
Penalties for making misleading claims about Ayurvedic medicines in India are governed primarily by the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
The DMR Act prohibits the advertising of specific drugs for treating diseases like diabetes and arthritis unless the medicine has been scientifically proven to be effective. Offenders face penalties, including fines or imprisonment.
However, enforcement of these regulations has been inconsistent. The DCA conduct the searches and seizes the products. This inconsistency allows the proliferation of misleading claims, especially when Ayurvedic products, unlike allopathic medicines, do not require rigorous clinical trials before entering the market.
Several Ayurvedic products are approved based on traditional texts rather than scientific evidence, which raises concerns about the validity of their health claims.
“Many consumers may not fully understand the health claims made by Ayurvedic products, which can lead to confusion and dangerous health decisions. The current regulatory framework contains loopholes that allow misleading claims to proliferate. For instance, unlike the Federal Trade Commission in the US, which requires substantiated health claims for all products, India lacks comprehensive measures to regulate AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) products,” said a DCA official.
To help tackle this issue, the Telangana DCA urges the public to stay vigilant when purchasing and using medicines. It also encouraged people to report drugs marketed with misleading claims or companies suspected of illegal manufacturing activities. A toll-free number, 1800-599-6969, is available from 10.30 am to 5.00 pm on working days for this purpose.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
