Patanjali submits apology for misleading ad to SC after Baba Ramdev directed to appear before court

On Tuesday, the court had directed yoga guru Ramdev and his aide Acharya Balkrishna to appear before it after taking exception to the company's failure to respond to notice issued in the contempt proceedings relating to advertisements of the firm's products and their medicinal efficacy.

New Delhi: Acharya Balkrishna, disciple of Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev has tendered an unqualified apology to the top court for issuing advertisements related to products to cure lifestyle-related medical complications, in breach of a statement made by Patanjali Ayurved on November 21, 2023.

In an affidavit, Patanjali Ayurved's MD regretted that the advertisement in question which was meant to contain only general statements inadvertently included the offending sentences.

"The same was bona-fide and added in routine course by the media department of the Company. The personnel of the media department of the company were not cognisant of the order," it said.

Tendering an unqualified apology, Balkrishna said he will ensure that such advertisements are not issued in the future.

"By way of clarification, not as a defense, the deponent begs to submit that its intention is only to exhort the citizens of this country to lead a healthier life by consuming products of the company including products for lifestyle ailments through the use age old literature and materials supplementing and backed by ayurvedic research," it said.

He, however, said the Schedule J of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 read with Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1955 is in an archaic state and the last changes were introduced in 1996.

"The Drug & Cosmetic Act, 1940 was passed when scientific evidence in Ayurveda research were lacking," it said.

The affidavit said the company now possesses evidence-based scientific data with clinical research conducted in Ayurveda, which would demonstrate the advances made through scientific research in the context of diseases mentioned in the said schedule.

"The deponent's only quest is for a better and healthier life for each and every citizen and to reduce the burden on the countries healthcare infrastructure by providing holistic, evidence based solutions for lifestyle related medical complications through the usage of age old traditional approach of Ayurveda and Yoga," it said.

On March 19, the Supreme Court took an exception to failure of Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna to file a response to the contempt notice and sought their personal presence before the court on next date of hearing, April 2.

On February 27, 2024, the court had slammed the Centre for its inaction against Patanjali's "misleading and false" advertisements claiming cure for various diseases and restrained the company run by Baba Ramdev from making such announcements for now.

On November 21, 2023, the apex court had cautioned Patanjali Ayurved against making "false" and "misleading" claims in advertisements about its medicines as a cure of several diseases.

Indian Medical Association sought action against Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved for defaming allopathy medicine.