U’khand revokes production ban on 5 Ramdev products, calls it an ‘error’

DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand Ayurveda and Unani Licensing Authority on Saturday revoked its ban order on production of five products by yoga instructor Ramdev’s Divya Pharmacy that the company claimed can treat blood pressure, diabetes, goitre, glaucoma and high cholesterol.

On November 9, the state authority ordered ban on production of BPgrit, Madhugrit, Thyrogrit, Lipidom and Eyegrit Gold tablets, which the Divya Pharmacy, part of Patanjali Group, aggressively advertised as cure for these diseases.

“We allow the production of medicines (five products) to continue as earlier by amending the previous order dated

November 9 issued by this directorate,” said the letter issued by Uttarakhand drug regulator Dr GCN Jangapangi on Saturday. HT has seen a copy of the letter.

“We issued the previous order hastily and it was an error. We have allowed the Divya Pharmacy to continue the production of the five medicines (products) by issuing a fresh order,” Jangapangi told HT. “We should have given time to the company to explain their stand before ordering a ban on production.”

After the ban revocation order, Patanjali spokesperson SK Tijariwala said: “We are humbly grateful to the Government of Uttarakhand for taking cognizance of this irrational act of defaming Ayurveda; and for rectifying the error in a timely manner.”

In July, Kerala-based ophthalmologist KV Babu complained that the company was violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable advertisement) Act 1954 and Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules 1945, by promoting these products as remedies for these diseases.