PMO steps in, asks health ministry to act against misleading adverts
NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has directed the Health Ministry to take “appropriate action” to amend the draft Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954, which aimed to take stringent action against misleading advertisements, including Ayush medicines.
The health ministry has been sitting over its draft for four years. The draft amendment widened the scope of the act by introducing 24 diseases and disorders, including the fairness of skin, improvement in the height, premature ageing, and drugs for treatment for enhancing sexual performance.
The PMO’s direction came following a complaint filed by Kerala-based Dr K V Babu last month after the health ministry continued to sit over its draft amendment to DMR Act, 1954. In its response, dated December 21, the PMO said, “The letter of the applicant received from Dr Babu KV is forwarded herewith through online mode on the PMOPG portal for action as appropriate. A reply may be sent to the petitioner, and a copy of the same may be uploaded on the portal.”
“The proposed amendment to the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act is the fallout of the harsh criticism of the Parliamentary Standing Committee in 2018. Though the proposal has been in the public domain for almost five years, it is yet to be enacted,” Dr Babu said.
He added that the Supreme Court’s decision to reprimand yoga guru Baba Ramdev for circulating misleading advertisements of his Ayush products, including Drishti eye drops, with the claim that they treat glaucoma or cataracts, double vision, colour vision, and night blindness, has exposed the loopholes in the existing drug laws. “I hope the intervention will put an end to the inaction on the part of the Ministry of Health in enacting the amendment, which they have been sitting over for the past four years,” said Dr Babu.
Dr Babu said he filed the complaint with the PMO after he received an RTI reply from the health ministry that the amendment to the draft “is still pending..no further noting is available.”
The ministry proposed the amendment to the DMR Act, 1954, on February 3, 2020. This act applies to all drugs, including Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani, and Homoeopathy medicines. It prohibits the advertisement for specific purposes of remedies and treatments alleged to possess magic qualities.
The government came out with the draft bill after concerns were raised on the implementation and effectiveness of the DMR (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954, the ministry had informed Dr Babu.
Four-year delay
PMO’s direction came after a complaint filed by Kerala-based Dr K V Babu after the health ministry sat over its draft amendment to DMR Act, 1954 for 4 years. The amendment widened the scope of the act.