​​​​​​​Baba Ramdev’s pharmaceutical firm served notice to stop drugs claiming cure for blood pressure and diabetes

Divya Pharmacy, promoted by yoga teacher Baba Ramdev, has been served by Uttarakhand Ayurveda and Unani Licensing Authority has asked Divya Pharmacy to stop the production of five medicines and produce their revised formulation sheets for approval.

The company, however, has denied any receipt of such a notice and alleged that the “anti-ayurved mafia” is behind the alleged plot to malign it.

It is reliably learnt that the notice issued on Wednesday, has banned the promotion of Bpgrit, Madhugrit, Thyrogrit, Lipidom tablets and Eyegrit Gold tablets as medicines for blood pressure, diabetes, goitre, glaucoma, and high cholesterol.

The notice says the company can restart manufacturing these products only after the authority approves their revised formulation sheets.

The original formulation sheets and label claims of the products were examined by a panel constituted by the authority.

The action by the Uttarakhand Ayurveda and Unani Licensing Authority was taken following a complaint filed by K V Babu, a doctor from Kerala. He had stated in his complaint that Divya Pharmacy was violating Drugs and Magic Remedies (objectionable advertisement) Act and Drugs and Cosmetic Act.

Babu had lodged his complaint against the firm with Uttarakhand Ayurveda and Unani Licensing Authority in July this year and followed it up with another via email on October 11.

The notice signed by joint director and drug controller of the state health authority G C N Jangapangi has sought a reply from Divya Pharmacy within a week.

It has also asked the firm to remove all its misleading and objectionable advertisements immediately from the media.

Patanjali official spokesperson denied receipt of any such notice.

“All the products and medicines made by Patanjali are made following prescribed standards, fulfilling all statutory processes and international standards with the highest research and quality in the Ayurveda tradition, with the help of more than 500 scientists,” Patanjali said in a media statement.

A similar controversy had erupted when Ramdev had launched Patanjali’s “Coronil” tablet in 2021 claiming it to be an evidence-based cure for COVID.