Healthcare space leads in advertising violations, says ASCI report

Recently, the Supreme Court issued a stern verbal warning to Patanjali Ayurveda, cautioning against misleading advertisements and false claims targeting modern medicines and vaccinations.

The healthcare sector represented 21 percent of advertising complaints in the nation, according to the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) half-yearly report.

This is attributed to a surge in drug and medicine promotions on digital platforms, according to the report.

Recently, the Supreme Court issued a stern verbal warning to Patanjali Ayurveda, cautioning against misleading advertisements and false claims targeting modern medicines and vaccinations.

Covering April through September 2023, the report shows a 22 percent increase from the previous financial year, with 16 percent of processed ads claiming magic remedies. The Drug and Magic Remedies Act of 1954 prohibits the advertisement of certain drugs for the treatment of certain diseases and disorders. The ASCI noted that it witnessed a significant rise in advertising that was promoting products that promise cure, treatment, and mitigation of diseases in potential violation of the Law.

The ASCI referred 565 advertisements to the Ministry of AYUSH in six months, compared to 464 for the entire previous financial year.

Online platforms hosted 79 percent of problematic ads. The digital realm witnessed a 34 percent increase in complaints (4,491) and a corresponding 27 percent rise in the number of processed ads (3,501). Digital media accounted for 79 percent of violations.

Also Read: Supreme Court warns Patanjali Ayurveda over deceptive medical claims, threatens severe penalties

A complaint can be raised to the Council by a member of the general public, the industry consumer organisations, or the Government. While the ASCI accepts complaints from various sources, 21.3 percent were consumer complaints, indicating substantial public involvement in upholding advertising standards. Suo-motu complaints by the Councul constituted 75.4 percent of the total.

Print media and television contributed 17 percent and 3 percent, respectively, while other mediums accounted for 2 percent of reported violations.