IMA 'shocked' over Patanjali’s claim on Coronil; demands explanation from Harsh Vardhan

This comes in the wake of WHO clarifying that it has not reviewed or certified the effectiveness of any traditional medicine for the treatment of Covid-19

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Monday slammed yoga guru Ramdev for the "blatant lie of WHO certification" for Patanjali's Coronil tablet and asked Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to explain his presence at the launch of the medicine, which the manufacturer claims is an evidence-based medicine to fight the Covid-19.

In a statement, the IMA asked Harsh Vardhan how is it justified to release such falsely fabricated unscientific products to people of the whole country.

"Can you clarify the time frame, timeline for the so-called clinical trial of this said anti-corona product?...The country needs an explanation from the minister. The IMA will also write to the National Medical Commission seeking suo moto explanation for his blatant disrespect to the code of conduct of Medical Council of India,” the IMA said.

The World Health Organisation had earlier clarified that it has not reviewed or certified the effectiveness of any traditional medicine for the treatment of Covid-19.

Ramdev had on February 19 claimed that the Coronil tablet had received certification from the Ayush Ministry as a medicine supporting Covid-19 treatment as per the WHO's certification scheme.

Later, Patanjali’s Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna clarified Coronil had got Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product (CoPP) from the Ayush section of Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation as per the WHO certification scheme.

Read | WHO says it hasn’t reviewed Coronil for Covid-19 treatment

"It was claimed by Ramdev along with our health minister that the said Coronil ayurvedic medicine has got WHO certification. This has been clearly denied by WHO in an official tweet. The said false and fabricated projection of an unscientific medicine by the health minister to the entire country and being rejected by WHO is a slap and insult to the people of the country," the IMA statement said.

The Union health minister had attended the event on February 19 where Patanjali Ayurveda had released what it claimed was research work supporting Coronil's efficacy in Covid-19 treatment. During the event, an announcement regarding the Ayush certification for Coronil and the release of a research paper calling it the "first evidence-based medicine for Covid-19" was done.

"All these were witnessed in person by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, who is a modern medical doctor by qualification," the IMA statement said.

"Being a health minister of the country, how ethical is to promote the product in unethical, wrong and false ways to the whole country...how ethical is to promote the unscientific product to the citizens of the country," it added.

It also asked the Minister to clarify the nature of clinical trials done for the medicine.