TNI Bureau: While pointing fingers at Patanjali, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) is pointing four fingers at itself and it should address unethical practices in modern medicine, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday.
While conducting hearing on the plea filed by the IMA over misleading ads by Patanjali targeting modern medicine, a Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah today highlighted concerns regarding prescription of expensive and unnecessary medicines.
“The petitioner (IMA) needs to put its own house in order regarding alleged unethical acts of the petitioner organisation where medicines are prescribed which are expensive and unnecessary. Whenever there is misuse of the position by the petitioner association to prescribe expensive medicines, the line of treatment needs closer examination,” the Court said as quoted by the barandbench.com.
On the other hand, Patanjali Ayurved reportedly apprised the apex court that it has issued public apologies for publishing misleading advertisements. Senior advocate Mukul Rohtagi, representing Patanjali, informed that that the company has published apologies across 67 daily newspapers. At this, the Bench questioned Rohtagi if the printed apologies are of the same size as the advertisements. In his reply, he said that publishing at such a size would cost tens of lakhs.
The court asked Patanjali to place on record the printed apologies by April 30 and directed to add the Union Ministries of Consumer Affairs and Information and Broadcasting and drug licensing authority of all the states as parties to the matter.
Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved Ltd Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna were physically present during the hearing and have been asked to remain present in the next hearing on April 30.
It is to be noted here that the IMA had alleged smear campaign were carried out by Patanjali and its founders against the COVID-19 vaccination drive and modern medicine.