21 March 2024 – Patanjali Ayurved’s managing director, Acharya Balkrishna, submits an unqualified apology to the Supreme Court for alleged misleading advertisements. The apology comes in response to the court’s order, with assurances that such advertisements will not be issued in the future.
In a significant development, Acharya Balkrishna, the managing director of Patanjali Ayurved, has issued an unqualified apology to the Supreme Court regarding misleading advertisements attributed to the company. The apology, submitted on Thursday, acknowledges a breach of the court’s order dated November 21, 2023.
Expressing sincere regret, Balkrishna assured the court that Patanjali Ayurved would refrain from disseminating misleading advertisements in the future. He attributed the offensive content in the advertisements to inadvertent errors by the company’s media department, unaware of the court’s directives.
Additionally, Balkrishna underscored the outdated nature of Schedule J of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, highlighting the lack of recent updates in relevant legislation. He emphasized the company’s commitment to evidence-based scientific research in Ayurveda, aimed at addressing lifestyle-related medical issues and supporting the healthcare system.
The Supreme Court had previously cautioned Patanjali Ayurved against misleading advertisements and restrained the company from promoting products as remedies for specific diseases, in accordance with drug regulations.
The development follows a plea by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) seeking stricter enforcement of laws against misinformation and disparagement of allopathy by companies like Patanjali Ayurved.