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

In addition to addressing Patanjali's advertising practices, the Supreme Court has urged the Union to present a proposal aimed at tackling misleading medical advertisements more broadly.

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

In response to a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the court has instructed Patanjali to refrain from making any deceptive statements and has threatened significant penalties for non-compliance.

A Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Prashant Kumar Mishra emphasised that the issue could not be reduced to a debate between allopathy/modern medicine and Ayurvedic products.

"All false and misleading advertisements by Patanjali Ayurved have to stop immediately. This Court will take such infractions very seriously and will consider imposing costs of up to Rs 1 crore on every product for which a false claim is made that it can cure a particular disease," Justice Amanullah remarked.

In addition to addressing Patanjali's advertising practices, the Supreme Court has urged the Union to present a proposal aimed at tackling misleading medical advertisements more broadly. The move comes in response to concerns raised by the IMA regarding Patanjali's campaigns that seemingly criticized modern medicine and vaccination efforts.

The Supreme Court's intervention underscores the gravity of the issue, emphasizing the need for responsible advertising in the medical field. The outcome of this legal development could have implications not only for Patanjali but also for the broader landscape of medical advertising in India, prompting a reevaluation of regulations and standards to ensure accurate and transparent communication in the healthcare sector.